A survey conducted for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that most Americans (61%) believe and can state how biotechnology will benefit them or their families in the next five years. Consumers anticipate benefits including: improved health and nutrition (30%); improved quality, taste, and variety of foods (30%); reduced chemical and pesticide use on plants (20%); reduced cost of food (8%); and improved crops and crop yields (8%).

A survey conducted for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that most Americans (61%) believe and can state how biotechnology will benefit them or their families in the next five years.

Consumers anticipate benefits including: improved health and nutrition (30%); improved quality, taste, and variety of foods (30%); reduced chemical and pesticide use on plants (20%); reduced cost of food (8%); and improved crops and crop yields (8%).

Support for these benefits is also seen in the total number of Americans (65%) who would be likely to purchase a variety of produce-such as tomatoes or potatoes-that have been modified through biotechnology to be protected from insect damage and require fewer pesticide applications. In addition, 52% of consumers are likely to purchase the same produce if it has been modified through biotechnology to "taste better or fresher."

The ability to foresee and support benefits of biotechnology may be in large part related to the amount of information consumers are receiving concerning the issue. Consumer awareness remains stable, with 74% of respondents saying they have read or heard "a lot," "some," or "a little" about biotechnology.

The survey also found that 78% of consumers could not think of any information "not currently included on food labels" that they would like to see added and only 1% of consumers named "genetically altered" as an item they would like to see added to a food label. Additionally, 65% of consumers surveyed either support or do not oppose the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy on the labeling of foods produced through biotechnology; with a 2.5 to 1 ratio of people who "strongly support" the policy compared to those who "strongly oppose" it.

The survey was conducted in September 2001 by Cogent Research and is the sixth consumer survey on food biotechnology IFIC has commissioned since 1997. Approximately 1,000 telephone interviews were conducted among a nationally projectable sample of adults 18 and older in the continental United States.

Get the Survey Results Here

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