Europeans see real potential in "innovative" foods, products made with advanced technologies such as cultivated meat, fermentation with micro-organisms and gene-edited crops, but most still view them with suspicion, according to a new Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission and reported by FoodNavigator.
Some 51% of respondents held a negative view of these foods against 19% with a positive one. Only 42% would buy a clearly labelled product made with micro-organisms, while 54% would not. Yet about 27% linked innovative foods with reducing pressure on natural resources, a quarter with better food security and a fifth with giving farmers and food producers new tools. Around 70% said they could bring Europe research, skills and jobs.
Knowledge made a large difference: 72% of those who felt well informed were positive, against 27% of those who did not. Younger, more educated and more urban people were also more comfortable with such foods.
Tradition weighed heavily. About three-quarters thought innovative foods could threaten culinary traditions and rural heritage if not properly regulated and labelled, and 85% wanted clear, distinct names and transparent information on production, composition and origin. Just over half said a mandatory label would raise their confidence, 38% an independent safety assessment and 36% approval by the European Food Safety Authority.
Sustainability could change minds: 35% said a reduction in pesticides, fertilisers or antibiotics would make them more likely to eat these foods regularly. The Netherlands was the most positive country, at 69%, followed by Sweden, Finland and Denmark, while France, Cyprus and Greece were the least positive, at 23%, 21% and 17%. The article was written by Augustus Bambridge-Sutton.
Photo: World Economic Forum / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Source: FoodNavigator
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