National Business Review

Flavour Of Genetically Modified Food Seems To Improve With Age

People are increasingly coming around to the idea of eating GM food, a new survey out today shows.

The NBR-Compaq poll found the number of people who said they would eat food they knew to be genetically modified has risen during the past two years.

The survey information has been released on the final day for submissions to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification.

The deadline for new or rebuttal evidence to the commission is 5pm today.

The NBR-Compaq findings suggest as GM becomes better understood and more familiar, sceptical consumers are being reassured about it and find the idea easier to stomach.

When asked in March 1999 whether they would eat GM food 28% of people said yes. Two years later that had risen to 35%.

Fewer people said a flat no to GM food (down from 59% to 56%) and fewer were unsure about it (down from 13% to 9%).

But in answer to a general question about genetic modification half the people surveyed said they needed to find out more or were unsure about the issue.

Questioned further, 45% of that group said the risks of GM outweighed the benefits. A third of the undecided group (33%) said the benefits of GM outweighed the risks and 22% were unsure.

Young people were more willing to eat genetically modified food than older people, with 69% of those aged 18-19 and 53% of those aged 20-24 saying they would eat food which was genetically modified.

Younger age groups were also more likely to generally support the concept of GM.

The Royal Commission on Genetic Modification is this week winding up its formal hearings of submissions.

The commission, chaired by Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, was set up last May to look into and report on the issues surrounding genetic modification.

It has received more than 10,000 public submissions as well as submissions from interested persons. It is required to report to the Governor-General by June 1.

Last week there was dissent at the commission about who should get the final say as it prepares to wrap up. Life Sciences Network, an umbrella group of industry figures and scientists who support genetic engineering, wanted the chance to contradict earlier submissions and to put new evidence before the commission - a move which angered environmental lobby group Greenpeace.

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