{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,12]],"date-time":"2026-03-12T05:37:57Z","timestamp":1773293877817,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2007,7,18]],"date-time":"2007-07-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1184716800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biotechnology Journal"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>The very term \u2018Biotechnology\u2019 elicits a range of emotions, from wonder and awe to downright fear and hostility. This is especially true among non\u2010scientists, particularly in respect of agricultural and food biotechnology. These emotions indicate just how poorly understood agricultural biotechnology is and the need for accurate, dispassionate information in the public sphere to allow a rational public debate on the actual, as opposed to the perceived, risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology. This review considers first the current state of public knowledge on agricultural biotechnology, and then explores some of the popular misperceptions and logical inconsistencies in both Europe and North America. I then consider the problem of widespread scientific illiteracy, and the role of the popular media in instilling and perpetuating misperceptions. The impact of inappropriate efforts to provide \u2018balance\u2019 in a news story, and of belief systems and faith also impinges on public scientific illiteracy. Getting away from the abstract, we explore a more concrete example of the contrasting approach to agricultural biotechnology adoption between Europe and North America, in considering divergent approaches to enabling coexistence in farming practices. I then question who benefits from agricultural biotechnology. Is it only the big companies, or is it society at large \u2013 and the environment\u2010also deriving some benefit? Finally, a crucial aspect in such a technologically complex issue, ordinary and intelligent non\u2010scientifically trained consumers cannot be expected to learn the intricacies of the technology to enable a personal choice to support or reject biotechnology products. The only reasonable and pragmatic alternative is to place trust in someone to provide honest advice. But who, working in the public interest, is best suited to provide informed and accessible, but objective, advice to wary consumers?<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/biot.200700071","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,7,18]],"date-time":"2007-07-18T12:23:27Z","timestamp":1184761407000},"page":"1105-1111","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":23,"title":["Public perceptions of biotechnology"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Alan","family":"McHughen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2007,9,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_1_2_2","unstructured":"Hallman W. K. Hebden W. C. Cuite C. L. Aquino H. L. Lang J. T. Americans and GM Food: Knowledge Opinion and Interest in 2004.Food Policy Institute ReportRR\u20101104\u2010007 2004."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_3_2","unstructured":"INRA (EUROPE) \u2013 ECOSA 2000. The Europeans and Biotechnology.Eurobarometer Report52.1 http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/public_opinion\/archives\/ebs\/ebs_134_en.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_4_2","unstructured":"International Food Information Council (IFIC). Food Biotechnology: A Study of U.S.Consumer Attitudinal Trends 2006 Report.http:\/\/www.ific.org\/research\/upload\/2006%20Biotech%20Consumer%20Research%20Report.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_5_2","unstructured":"Gaskell G. Allansdottir A. Allum N. Corchero C.et al. Europeans and Biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and Trends.Final report on Eurobarometer64.3. 2006 http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/public_opinion\/archives\/ebs\/ebs_244b_en.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_6_2","unstructured":"CBS\u2010TV News Are Organic Foods Really Any Safer? Thalia Assuras Reports Some Scientists Believe Organic Foods Are No Healthier. 2007 http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/stories\/2007\/04\/07\/eveningnews\/main2660788.shtml."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_7_2","unstructured":"BBC2 The return of GM crops. 2007 http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/blogs\/newsnight\/2007\/04\/the_return_of_gm_crops.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_8_2","unstructured":"Organization for Economic cooperation and Development (OECD) Recombinant DNA safety considerations: safety considerations for industrial agricultural and environmental applications of organisms derived by recombinant DNA techniques 1986 http:\/\/www.oecd.org\/dataoecd\/45\/54\/1943773.pd."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_9_2","unstructured":"National Research Council Introduction of Recombinant DNA\u2010engineered organisms into the environment: Key issues.White paperp. 24. National Academies Press Washington D.C. 1987."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_10_2","unstructured":"National Research Council 2002. Environmental effects of transgenic plants. National Academies Press Washington DC."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_11_2","unstructured":"National Research Council Safety of genetically engineered foods. National Academies Press Washington D.C. 2004."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_12_2","unstructured":"Official Journal of the European Union 2003 http:\/\/europa.eu. int\/eur\u2010lex\/pri\/en\/oj\/dat\/2003\/l_189\/l_18920030729en00360047.pd."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_13_2","unstructured":"Zika E. Papatryfon I. Wolf O. G\u00f3mez\u2010Barbero M. et al.: Consequences opportunities and challenges of modern biotechnology for Europe 2007 http:\/\/bio4eu.jrc.es\/documents\/Bio4EUsynthesisreportEUR22728EN.pdf. See also G\u00f3mez\u2010Barbero M. Rodr\u00edguez\u2010Cerezo E. GM crops in EU agriculture. Case study for the BIO4EU project (Draft). European Commission 2007."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dalmacio S. C. Lugod T. Serrano R. E.M. Munkvold G. P. Reduced incidence of bacterial rot on transgenic insect\u2010resistant maize in the Philippines.Plant Dis.2007 91: 346\u2013351.","DOI":"10.1094\/PDIS-91-4-0346"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_15_2","unstructured":"James C. Global Status of Commercialized Biotech\/GM Crops 2006 ISAAA report 35. ISAAA Ithaca NY 2007 http:\/\/www.isaaa.org\/resources\/publications\/briefs\/35\/highlights\/default.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_16_2","unstructured":"Brookes G. Barfoot P. GM Crops: The First Ten Years \u2013 Global Socio\u2010 Economic and Environmental Impacts. ISAAA Brief 36. ISAAA Ithaca NY 2006 http:\/\/www.isaaa.org\/resources\/publications\/briefs\/36\/default.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_17_2","unstructured":"USDA\u2010Foreign Agriculture Service France Biotechnology Positive 2006 Results & New Regulatory Framework Improve 2007 Prospects. GAIN report FR7013 2007 http:\/\/www.fas.usda.gov\/gainfiles\/ 200703\/146280665.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_18_2","unstructured":"National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Engineering indicators 2006. http:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/statistics\/seind06\/c7\/c7s3.htm#c7s3l4. See also: IPSOS\u2010MORI 2006 Public Trust In Doctors Is Still High http:\/\/www.ipsos\u2010mori.com\/polls\/2006\/rcp.shtml and Canadian Biotechnology Secretariat Canada\u2010U.S. Survey on Biotechnology Ottawa 2005."}],"container-title":["Biotechnology Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/api.wiley.com\/onlinelibrary\/tdm\/v1\/articles\/10.1002%2Fbiot.200700071","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/biot.200700071","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T14:43:37Z","timestamp":1759934617000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/biot.200700071"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2007,9]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/biot.200700071"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/biot.200700071","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1860-6768","1860-7314"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1860-6768","type":"print"},{"value":"1860-7314","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2007,9]]}}}