Consumers are more concerned about the taste of table grapes than gene editing

According to a survey of U.
S.
consumers led by Washington State University, despite some hesitation about gene-edited foods, taste trumps everything
.

In the study, published in the journal PLoS General, researchers surveyed more than 2,800 people across the United States to assess their acceptance of gene-edited table grapes, even though they are not yet commercially available
.

Most participants were more concerned about the taste of the grapes, followed by appearance, than how the grapes were raised
.
Respondents also ranked third with fewer pesticides and only fourth, expressing a slight preference for conventionally bred grapes over gene-edited grapes
.

Karina Gallardo, an economics professor at Washington State University and corresponding author of the study, said: "In general, they are most concerned about taste, the properties
associated with taste.
" "They did express a desire to lower the price of gene editing, but the difference was not statistically significant, which means they were largely indifferent
.
"

More than half of the survey participants said they knew the difference between gene-editing technology CRISPR and genetic engineering, but they couldn't say exactly what the difference was
.

CRISPR is a gene-editing tool that means altering the DNA sequence of a plant or animal, often to improve its properties
.
Changes in gene editing can occur naturally or through conventional plant breeding, but without this tool, it will take longer
.

Genetic engineering, sometimes referred to as genetic modification, is the process of combining genes from different species that do not occur
naturally.
Scientists consider both techniques safe, but genetic engineering has quite a bit of stigma, and in some countries, the sale of GMOs
is banned.

To better understand the survey response, the researchers divided participants into four groups
based on their acceptance of gene editing.

They found that the group most receptive to gene editing (22 percent of participants) was also the most informed and trusted of many sources of information, with scientific sources ranking highest
.
The strongest opponents of gene editing (about 16 percent of respondents) knew the least about the technology and were distrustful
of any source of information, including scientists, governments, and the media.
The other two groups were considered to have a mild or moderate rejection of gene editing
.

Few gene-edited foods are commercialized in the United States, and there are currently no gene-edited table grapes, but the market for gene-edited foods is expected to grow
.
Gallardo said gene editing will become an increasingly important tool for producers to meet food needs, especially in the light of climate change and its associated increase in
plant pests and diseases.

"We can't rely on plant breeding techniques from 30 to 40 years ago to improve what
we desperately need now," Gallardo said.
"People should know that this technology is safe
.
Gene editing has been developed in academia, so everything is transparent
.
We publish everything
we do.
Nothing is hidden
.
”