5 pages., Author concludes that "genetic information is easy to portray as a new and scary technology, but fearmongering is largely based on misinformation, a misunderstanding of evolution and our place in the natural world, and vague fears of contamination. In reality, GMO safety testing is extensive and has not uncovered any safety concerns for current GMOs. There are other issues with GMOs that are worth discussing, but fears of adverse health effects are not legitimate." Cites a review of research ty the European Commission in 2010: "The main conclusion to be drawn from the efforts of more than 130 research projects, covering a period of more than 25 years of research and involving more than 500 independent research groups, is that biotechnology, and in particular GMOs, are not per se more risky than e.g. conventional plant breeding technologies."
Authors report on consumer knowledge and perceptions about seafood safety and coastal pollution. "We find that consumers view seafood as far more threatened by pollution than scientific analysis suggests."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C20474
Notes:
Pages 33-45 in Joe Smith (ed.), The Daily Globe: environmenal change, the public and the media. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London, England. 263 pages.
