Many publics around the world doubt safety of genetically modified foods

Concern about genetically modified foods is widespread globally, with about half of people in 20 publics around the world saying these foods are unsafe to eat, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between October 2019 and March 2020.

As growth in the world’s population increases demand on the global food supply, nations have debated the role of genetically engineered or genetically modified foods. Advocates see such foods as one route to meeting food production demands.

A 20-public median of 48% say genetically modified, or GM, foods are unsafe to eat, while a much smaller median of 13% say GM foods are safe. The survey included an option for people with limited familiarity about GM foods to indicate this; a median of 37% say they don’t know enough to offer a view about the safety of GM foods.

Majorities in places such as Russia (70%), Italy (62%), India (58%), and South Korea (57%) view GM foods as generally unsafe to eat.

How to find non-GMO food

Foods that are bioengineered and products that contain bioengineered foods must carry a specific label. If a product does not have this kind of label, it does not contain bioengineered ingredients.

Foods that are likely to be GMO include:

• sugar beet, as 99.9% of sugar beet in the U.S. is GMO
• canola products, as 95% of them are GMO in the U.S.
• soybean products, since 94% of soybean in the U.S. is GMO
• corn, as 92% of corn planted in the U.S. is GMO
• cottonseed oil, since 94% of cotton is GMO

Many GMO crops also become ingredients in other foods, for example:

• cornstarch in soups and sauces
• corn syrup used as a sweetener
• corn, canola, and soybean oils in mayonnaise, dressings, and bread
• sugar derived from sugar beets