Genome editing in food and agriculture: from regulations to consumer perspectives.

Genome editing (GE) has emerged as a technology that could revolutionize food and agricultural production. While its advent has evoked enthusiasm for a more sustainable food system, there exists heterogeneity in regulations and public opinions regarding the technology. This review discusses evidence on the implications of government regulations on GE, and perceptions of genome-edited (GEd) food and related regulations. The review highlights consumers' positive attitude and preference for GEd foods when compared with genetically modified foods, despite the limited awareness and knowledge of GE technology. While policy changes might trigger debates, providing tailored benefits, information to consumers could further improve their attitude toward GE.

Public acceptance and stakeholder views of gene edited foods: a global overview.

The increasing popularity of gene editing in plants has prompted research on stakeholder views. Gene edited foods are often more accepted than genetically modified foods, though differences occur within target groups, regions, and products. Nevertheless, marketing challenges related to a lack of familiarity with the technology, labeling, and risk perception remain.

Fish Acquisition and Consumption in the African Great Lakes Region through a Food Environment Lens: A Scoping Review.

Effective actions for the fishery and aquaculture sectors to contribute toward improving nutrition rely on an understanding of the factors influencing fish intake, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. This scoping review synthesises evidence from 33 studies in the African Great Lakes Region to examine the influence of food environments on fish acquisition and consumption. We identified only two studies that explicitly applied a food environment framework and none that linked policy conditions with the contribution of fish to diets. Economic access to fish was represented in the largest number of included studies (21 studies), followed by preferences, acceptability and desirability of fish (17 studies) and availability and physical access (14 studies). Positive perceptions of taste and low cost, relative to other animal-source foods, were drivers of fish purchases in many settings; however, limited physical and economic access were frequently identified as preventing optimal intake. In lakeside communities, fish were increasingly directed toward external markets which reduced the availability and affordability of fish for local households. Few studies considered intra-household variations in fish access according to age, gender or physiological status, which represents an important knowledge gap. There is also scope for future research on seasonal influences on fish access and the design and rigorous evaluation of programmes and policies that address one or more constraints of availability, cost, convenience and preferences.

Labeling Nutrition-Sensitive Food Chains: A Consumer Preference Analysis of Milk Products.

While nutrition-sensitive value-chain approaches are strongly advocated, studies on consumer preferences for such interventions are lacking. This study aims to fill this gap by examining a nutrition-sensitive chain labeling scheme, using the Ugandan dairy sector as a case. A survey was conducted among 250 consumers, primarily eliciting perceptions of the importance of a nutrition-sensitive chain label compared to nutrition claims/facts. In addition, a choice-based conjoint experiment was designed with nutrition label, brand, fat content, and price as attributes. Findings show that nutrition-sensitive chain labeling was more positively perceived by consumers than by nutrition claims/facts. Ordered logistic regression analysis indicated that BMI, nutrition knowledge, and label use influenced consumers' perceived importance of a nutrition-sensitive chain label relative to sex, age, children, and milk purchase frequency for nutrition claims/facts. This is confirmed by the higher utilities for the nutrition-sensitive chain label in our conjoint experiment. Future research should focus on the integration of nutrition-sensitive chain labeling with existing labels in a way that promotes candid interpretation by consumers. Industrial and policy actors in the agri-food sector can use these findings to innovate and regulate appropriate labeling schemes in the context of nutrition-sensitive value chains.

What Do We Know About Chain Actors' Evaluation of New Food Technologies? A Systematic Review of Consumer and Farmer Studies.

New food technologies, such as genetic modification, food fortification, and processing technologies, are of growing interest for future food security and safety. For ensuring successful implementation of such technologies, consumers and other food supply chain actors should embrace them. We present a systematic review to identify and compare key factors of supply chain actors' evaluation of new food technologies. Evaluation encompasses indicators such as likelihood or intention to perform a behavior, perceived benefits/risks, willingness to pay, acceptance/adoption, and attitudes. Results from 183 studies showed several imbalances in research. Although studies mainly focused on (1) genetically modified foods, (2) by consumers, (3) in developed countries, only very few studies have targeted other food technologies, other supply chain actors such as farmers (13 studies) or processors (two studies), or developing countries (43 studies). With respect to consumers' evaluation, key determinants were trust in institutions, information assessment, perceived risks and benefits, attitudes toward the product or technology, perceived behavioral control, quality perception of the product, and impact on health. Farmers' evaluation of new food technologies was explained by the factors of perceived risk and benefits and of actual source of information. For the few processor evaluation studies, no convergence of factors could be reached. This systematic review contributes to a better understanding of consumers' and farmers' evaluation behavior and opens up avenues for future research on supply chain actors' food technology evaluations. The differences in the conceptualization and measurement of extracted factors demonstrate the need for standardized approaches in future studies.

Methods matter: a meta-regression on the determinants of willingness-to-pay studies on biofortified foods.

Following the growing evidence on biofortification as a cost-effective micronutrient strategy, various researchers have elicited consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for biofortified crops in an effort to justify and determine their adoption. This review presents a meta-analysis of WTP studies on biofortified foods, either developed through conventional breeding or using genetic modification technology. On the basis of 122 estimates from 23 studies (9507 respondents), consumers are generally willing to pay 21.3% more for biofortified crops. Because WTP estimates are often determined through different valuation methods and procedures, a meta-regression was carried out to examine the role of potential determinants. Aside from contextual factors, such as type of food crop, target nutrient, and region (but not breeding technique), various methodological factors significantly influence premiums, including the type of respondent, nature of the study, study environment, participation fee, and provided information. The findings allow researchers to better anticipate potential methodological biases when examining WTP for (biofortified) foods, while it gives policy makers a broad understanding of the potential demand for different biofortified crops in various settings.

The socioeconomics of genetically modified biofortified crops: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Building upon the growing interest and research on genetically modified (GM) biofortification, its socioeconomic potential has been increasingly examined. We conducted two systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide comprehensive evidence of consumers' willingness to pay (11 economic valuation studies, 64 estimates) and cost-effectiveness/benefits (five economic evaluation studies, 30 estimates). Worldwide, consumers were willing to pay 23.9% more for GM biofortified food crops. Aside from crop and design-related differences, information provision was deemed crucial. Positive information (nutrition and GM benefits) is associated with the highest consumer willingness to pay, compared with negative, objective, and conflicting GM information, especially when negative information was mentioned last. This health intervention would reduce the aggregated micronutrient deficiency burden in Asia (15.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)) by 12.5-51.4%, at a low cost of USD 7.9-27.8 per DALY in a pessimistic and optimistic scenario, respectively. Given that GM biofortified crops could tackle hidden hunger in a cost-effective and well-accepted way, its implementation is worth pursuing. A case study on folate biofortification further elaborates on the importance of socioeconomic research and the determinants of their market potential.

Applying Value Stream Mapping to reduce food losses and wastes in supply chains: A systematic review.

The interest to reduce food losses and wastes has grown considerably in order to guarantee adequate food for the fast growing population. A systematic review was used to show the potential of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) not only to identify and reduce food losses and wastes, but also as a way to establish links with nutrient retention in supply chains. The review compiled literature from 24 studies that applied VSM in the agri-food industry. Primary production, processing, storage, food service and/or consumption were identified as susceptible hotspots for losses and wastes. Results further revealed discarding and nutrient loss, most especially at the processing level, as the main forms of loss/waste in food, which were adapted to four out of seven lean manufacturing wastes (i.e. defect, unnecessary inventory, overproduction and inappropriate processing). This paper presents the state of the art of applying lean manufacturing practices in the agri-food industry by identifying lead time as the most applicable performance indicator. VSM was also found to be compatible with other lean tools such as Just-In-Time and 5S which are continuous improvement strategies, as well as simulation modelling that enhances adoption. In order to ensure successful application of lean practices aimed at minimizing food or nutrient losses and wastes, multi-stakeholder collaboration along the entire food supply chain is indispensable.

Stakeholder reactions toward iodine biofortified foods. An application of protection motivation theory.

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE: To use Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to evaluate stakeholders' intention to adopt iodine biofortified foods as an alternative means to improve children's iodine status and overall school performance. METHODS: A survey was administered with 360 parents of primary school children and 40 school heads. Protection motivation is measured through matching the cognitive processes they use to evaluate iodine deficiency (threat appraisal), as well as iodine biofortified foods to reduce the threat (coping appraisal). Data were analyzed through Robust (Cluster) regression analysis. RESULTS: Gender had a significant effect on coping appraisal for school heads, while age, education, occupation, income, household size and knowledge were significant predictors of threat, coping appraisal and/or protection motivation intention among parents. Nevertheless, in the overall protection motivation model, only two coping factors, namely self-efficacy (parents) and response cost (school heads), influenced the intention to adopt iodine biofortified foods. CONCLUSION: School feeding programs incorporating iodine biofortification should strive to increase not only consumer knowledge about iodine but also its association to apparent deficiency disorders, boost self-efficacy and ensure that the costs incurred are not perceived as barriers of adoption. The insignificant threat appraisal effects lend support for targeting future communication on biofortification upon the strategies itself, rather than on the targeted micronutrient deficiency. PMT, and coping factors in particular, seem to be valuable in assessing intentions to adopt healthy foods. Nevertheless, research is needed to improve the impacts of threat appraisal factors.