Originally published October 2 2013
GMO pushers in desperation, trying to claim consumers no longer care about GM foods
by Sue Woledge
(NaturalNews) While an Australian scientist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been quoted saying that the heat has gone out of the genetically modified food debate and that people are now willing to eat GM food, particularly if they understand why the crop has been modified, statistics from public surveys around the world say otherwise.
It would appear that, although pro-GM scientists, reporters and politicians continue to manipulate figures and create excuses for consumers being uneasy about genetically modified foods, polls continue to indicate that public opinion still leans very heavily toward a "No GMO" stance.
According to ABC News, in the USA, only slightly over one third of the population believes that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, with fifty two percent believing that they are unsafe and thirteen percent remaining unsure. Surveys in Australia and Europe have resulted in similar figures, with seventy five percent of Australian consumers having said that they would have concerns about eating GM foods, and seventy percent of those surveyed in European countries agreeing that GM food is fundamentally unnatural; only twenty one percent of Europeans believe that genetically modified foods are safe to eat.
Statistics also reveal that attitudes toward genetically modified foods varies with age, sex and education level. Those who are more likely to believe that GM foods are unsafe include women, older people, those who are more educated and those from a scientific background.
The pro-GM lobby has stated that the fact that many people still buy foods even when GM ingredients are listed on labels indicates that consumers aren't really that concerned, assuming that people are in fact more accepting of GM foods than they might imply when asked outright; however, studies have also revealed that most people don't actually read ingredient labels on the products they buy even when they say they do.
It would appear that human beings instinctively understand that the genetic modification of food is unnatural. Almost twenty years after the first GM crop was approved for sale, consumers continue to feel that this technology is potentially dangerous. Many view it as an experiment that is not needed: it is dangerous and is purely about profits for biotech companies that seem hell bent on forcing it down the throats of a population that does not want it. But as much as these companies and their supporters try to change public opinion, it is obvious that most people still don't want GM foods, and public attitude remains unchanged.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.innovation.gov.au
http://abcnews.go.com
http://www.abc.net.au
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://ec.europa.eu
http://healthland.time.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
About the author:
Sue Woledge is a natural therapist, writer and the owner of www.ahealthymeal.com and here.
Sue Woledge is a natural therapist, writer and the owner of www.ahealthymeal.com and here.
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