INVITED PAPERS
Trends in Consumer Acceptance and Awareness of
Biotechnology
Thomas J. Hoban
The promise of agricultural biotechnology has become reality. Foods produced through
biotechnology will become increasingly common in the food production and distribution
system. Consumer reaction to these foods will be an important factor in determining the
ultimate success of the biotechnology enterprise. This paper reviews trends in U.S.
consumers’ awareness and acceptance of biotechnology. Results of several national
surveys show that biotechnology has not been an issue for the vast majority of
consumers. Most have a positive attitude about biotechnology. This paper also presents
some implications for future research and educational programs.
Agriculture and food processors have always
relied on technology to feed a growing popula-
tion. A new era has arrived with recent advances
in biotechnology. The tools of biotechnology of-
fer a number of important opportunities for im-
proving food production in the United States and
around the world. Modem biotechnology has an-
cient roots. For thousands of years, people have
been selecting and raising plants and animals to
produce food. They have also relied on technol-
ogy to bake bread, brew beer, and make cheese.
The potential benefits of agricultural bio-
technology have been promised since the early
1980s. The year of 1994 will be remembered as a
watershed year in the development of agricultural
biotechnology. This was the year when biotech-
nology’s potential became reality, as evidenced
by the following products:
1. Bovine somatotropin (BST) was approved for
use by American dairy farmers. This supple-
ment to the naturally-occurring hormone in-
creases milk production by an average of 10
to 20 percent when administered to dairy
cows.
2. The Flavr-Savrtm tomato was approved for
commercial sale in the United States. These
Author is a Professor with the Department of Sociology and
Anthropology, and the Department of Food Science, North
Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
tomatoes look and taste better than the usual
produce (especially in the winter) because
they are allowed to stay on the vine until they
are ripe.
3. Seven additional biotechnology-produced
plants (including tomato, cotton, soybeans,
and squash) completed the Food and Drug
Administration’s consultation process. These
plants were found to be substantively
equivalent to their currently available coun-
terparts. These include varieties of plants that
are protected from insects and disease, as well
as plants that are not damaged by specific
herbicides.
Biotechnology will provide farmers and food
processors with a number of tools to enhance the
quantity and quality of foods they produce. Some
of the first commercial plant products of biotech-
nology are aimed at protecting crop plants from
disease and insect damage. Progress is also being
made on developing crops that have enhanced
flavor and nutrition, as well as processing charac-
teristics. These products have important implica-
tions for all participants in the modem food pro-
duction and distribution system — from the re-
search lab to the consumer. As the main contact
with consumers, food retailers and other distribu-
tors will need better understanding of consumer
attitudes about biotechnology.