Food Biotechnology Understanding the Consumer for Effective Communication Cheryl Toner, MS, RD Director, Health Communications International Food Information

Food BiotechnologyFood BiotechnologyUnderstanding the Consumer for Understanding the Consumer for

Effective CommunicationEffective Communication

Cheryl Toner, MS, RDCheryl Toner, MS, RDDirector, Health CommunicationsDirector, Health Communications

International Food Information Council and FoundationInternational Food Information Council and Foundation

International Food InformationInternational Food InformationCouncil (IFIC) and IFIC FoundationCouncil (IFIC) and IFIC Foundation

Mission: To communicate science-based information on food safety and nutrition issues to health professionals, journalists, educators and government officials.

Primarily supported by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries.

IFIC & IFIC Foundation PartnersIFIC & IFIC Foundation Partners

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

• National Foundation for Integrated Pest Management Education

• American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation

• National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging, Florida Int’l University

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

• President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports American College of Sports Medicine

• The American Dietetic Association

• Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation

• Council for Agricultural Science and Technology

• University of Illinois Functional Foods for Health Program

• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses

• U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Consumer Federation of America

• The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration

• Food Marketing Institute

• National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, Inc.

• Institute of Food Technologists

• University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

““Food Biotechnology: Food Biotechnology: Enhancing Our Food Supply” BrochureEnhancing Our Food Supply” Brochure

Partnership with

IFIC Foundation and

The American Academy of

Family Physicians (AAFP)

Foundation

IFIC Foundation Web SiteIFIC Foundation Web Site

ific.orgific.org•1.5 million hits/ month

•20% users are international

IFIC Foundation’s IFIC Foundation’s Food InsightFood Insight

•45,000 Circulation

•7% International

•6,000 Media

Goal: Effective CommunicationGoal: Effective Communication

Communicate Food-Related Science

in Ways that Serve Both Public Understanding and the

Objectives of the Communicators

• Journal of the National Cancer Institute—February 4, 1998

• Journal of the American MedicalAssociation—February 11, 1998

Harvard / IFIC Foundation GuidelinesHarvard / IFIC Foundation Guidelines

1. Will your communication enhance public understanding of diet and health?

2. Have you put the study findings into context?

3. Have the study or findings been peer-reviewed?

4. Have you disclosed the important facts about the study?

5. Have you disclosed all key information about the study’s funding?

General Guidelines for ALL PARTIES in the Communications Process

Harvard/IFIC, 1998

IFIC Food Biotechnology IFIC Food Biotechnology Consumer Focus Groups - 1992Consumer Focus Groups - 1992

10 U.S. Cities

IFIC’s Food BiotechnologyIFIC’s Food BiotechnologyConsumer ResearchConsumer Research

IDENTITY SCOPE TIME ENERGY RESULTS

Who we are, values and deeds

Respect for nature and limits

Ties to past, commitment to future

We work hard, have a vision

Benefits must be worthy, not frivolous

U.S. Consumer Attitudes TowardU.S. Consumer Attitudes TowardFood BiotechnologyFood Biotechnology

Wirthlin Group Quorum Surveys– March 1997

– February 1999

– October 1999

• Cogent Research– September 2001

– August 2002

• Each based on 1,000 Telephone Interviews of U.S. Adults

• Nationally Projectable

– April 2003– January 2004

– May 2000– January 2001

Are there any foods or ingredients that Are there any foods or ingredients that you have avoided or eaten less of?you have avoided or eaten less of?

IFIC 2004

YesNoDon't know / refused

If yes, what foods or ingredients did If yes, what foods or ingredients did you avoid or eat less of?you avoid or eat less of?

(Multiple responses allowed)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Jan-01

Sep-01

Aug-02

Apr-03

Jan-04

IFIC 2004

Any info not currently on food labels Any info not currently on food labels that you would like to see?that you would like to see?

(Multiple responses allowed, n = 1000)

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Jan-01Sep-01Aug-02Apr-03Jan-04

IFIC 2004

What, if anything, are you most concerned What, if anything, are you most concerned about when it comes to food safety?about when it comes to food safety?

(Multiple responses allowed, n = 1000)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Don't know/refused

Other

Altered/engineered food

Ingredients

Chemicals/pesticides in foods

Disease/contamination

Food handling/preparation

Packaging

Nothing

Jan-04

Apr-03

Aug-02

Sep-01

Jan-01

IFIC 2004

How much have you read orHow much have you read orheard about biotechnology?heard about biotechnology?

64%

66%

68%

70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

80%

Total read orheard

IFIC 2004

Are there any foods produced through Are there any foods produced through biotechnology in the supermarket today?biotechnology in the supermarket today?

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Yes

No

Don'tknow/refused

IFIC 2004

Which foods produced through biotech Which foods produced through biotech are currently in the supermarket?are currently in the supermarket?

(multiple answers allowed, n=357)

Top 5 1/04

Vegetables 44%

Meats 22%

Corn 20%

Fruits 18%

Tomatoes 14% IFIC 2004

Likelihood of purchase if modified by Likelihood of purchase if modified by biotechnology to biotechnology to taste better or freshertaste better or fresher

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Total likely

Total not likely

Don'tknow/refused

IFIC 2004

. . . if modified by biotechnology to be . . . if modified by biotechnology to be protected protected from insect damage and require fewer pesticidesfrom insect damage and require fewer pesticides

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Total likely

Total not likely

Don'tknow/refused

IFIC 2004

Effect on purchasing decision if biotechnology Effect on purchasing decision if biotechnology produced cooking oil produced cooking oil lower in saturated fat

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Positive effectNegative effectNo effect

IFIC 2004

Will biotechnology Will biotechnology provide benefitsprovide benefits for you or for you or your family within the next 5 years?your family within the next 5 years?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Yes

No

Don'tknow/refused

IFIC 2004

What benefits do you expect from What benefits do you expect from biotechnology?biotechnology?


0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Sep-01 Aug-02 Apr-03 Jan-04

Improvedquality/taste/variety

Health and Nutrition

Reducedchemicals/pesticides

Safety

Reduced Price

Improved crops/yield

IFIC 2004

Support for FDA Labeling Policy

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80% Don't know/refused

Neither support noroppose

Total oppose

Total support

IFIC 2004

During the past few months, have you taken During the past few months, have you taken any action due to concerns about biotech any action due to concerns about biotech

foods?foods?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Yes

No

IFIC 2004

How much have you read or heard about animal biotechnology?

A lot 8%

Some 21%

A little 31%

Nothing at all 39%

Don’t know 1%

IFIC 2004

What have you read or heard about animal biotechnology?


Cloning 17%Faster growth/Bigger animals/More meat, milk, eggs 9%Hormones 8%Genetic engineering 5%Disease resistance/ Animal health/ Safer food 4%Changes to animal feed 4%Better food quality 3%Concerns about effects/ Testing needed 3%Steroids 3%Other 19% (Includes Mad Cow 2%)--------------------------

Nothing specific 6%Don’t know/ Refused 39% IFIC 2004

Impression of using animal biotechnology to produce meat, milk, and eggs

Total Favorable 28%Very Favorable 7%Somewhat Favorable 21%

Neither 11%

Total Not Favorable 29%Not Very Favorable 11%Not at all Favorable 18%

Don’t Know 32%

IFIC 2004

Animal biotechnology can…Animal biotechnology can…

Positive Negative No Effect DK

…increase farm 39% 21% 34% 6%

efficiency by increasing

the amount of food

produced or decreasing

the amount of feed

needed by the animals.

IFIC 2004



…improve the quality 58% 14% 23% 5% and safety of food

IFIC 2004



…reduce the 52% 13% 26% 9%environmental impactof animal waste

IFIC 2004

GENOMICS…uses knowledge about genetics to improve

overall animal care and nutrition

Total Favorable 55% Very Favorable 17%

Somewhat Favorable 38%

Neither 15%Total Not Favorable 23%

Somewhat Unfavorable 9%Very Unfavorable 14%

Don’t Know 8%IFIC 2004

GENETIC ENGINEERING…allows us to move beneficial traits from one

animal to another in a precise way


Neither 12%

Total Not Favorable 48%Somewhat Unfavorable 16%Very Unfavorable 32%


CLONING…retains desirable traits by producing animals

that are biologically identical to the parent


Neither 9%

Total Not Favorable 71%Somewhat Unfavorable 15%Very Unfavorable 56%


Impact of FDA safety determination on intent Impact of FDA safety determination on intent to purchase meat, milk, and eggs from to purchase meat, milk, and eggs from GENETICALLY ENGINEERED animalsGENETICALLY ENGINEERED animals

Total Likely 59%Very Likely 20%

Somewhat Likely 39%

Total Unlikely 38%Not too Likely 18%Not at all Likely 20%


Impact of FDA safety determination on intent Impact of FDA safety determination on intent to purchase meat, milk, and eggs fromto purchase meat, milk, and eggs from

CLONED animalsCLONED animals

Total Likely 34%Very Likely 12%Somewhat Likely 22%

Total Unlikely 62%Not too Likely 19%Not at all Likely 43%

Don’t Know 4%

IFIC 2004

Factors Affecting Consumer Attitudes Factors Affecting Consumer Attitudes Toward Food BiotechnologyToward Food Biotechnology

• Awareness

• Information Sources

• Education

• Trust

• Perceptions on Food Safety

• Terminology

– “Biotechnology”; Not “GMO”

Potential Factors Influencing 2004 Attitudes Potential Factors Influencing 2004 Attitudes

• High overall awareness, but knowledge not deep

• Biotechnology is not a food safety concern• “Mad Cow” in U.S.

• Overall support for FDA labeling policy holding• Support associated with higher awareness and education (

< .05)

• Consumer expect benefits from biotechnology

• Animal biotechnology: The jury is still out• Higher awareness associated with likelihood to purchase (

< .05)

Communicating with ConsumersCommunicating with Consumers

• Place biotechnology in context• Explain goals and benefits• Give accurate view of safety• Speak in familiar terms• Tell stories about real foods, products,

and applications

FDANAS

House Science Subcommittee

IFTADA

OECD

The Weight of the EvidenceThe Weight of the Evidence

Documents

Food Biotechnology Understanding the Consumer for Effective Communication Cheryl Toner, MS, RD Director, Health Communications International Food Information