• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.89-102
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• 2002

Genetically modified foods may be defined as the foods deemed as safe by current technology among the many kinds of agricultural and stockbreeding products that are now under research and development using contemporary gene-modification techniques. This study examines hotly debated arguments, both for and against genetically modified- foods, in various countries. This study also investigates consumers'rights and responsibilities. Countries that are developing and exporting genetically modified organisms(GMO) have maintained that GMO can help produce more crops while reducing labor and other production-related costs, and that the genetically modified foods signify ″the second green revolution,″ which will solve future food and environmental problems by strengthening specific nutritive substances and extending shelf-life. But consumer groups, environmental organizations. and food-importing countries are more cautious about importing and consuming those foods because the potential dangers of GMO to human bodies and the environment have not been tested thoroughly yet. South Korea, following suit with others such as EU, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, introduced a law on 'Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods', which went in effect in March, 2001, on the basis of customers'rights to make informed choices. The law takes the ″precautionary principle″ into consideration, rather than stopping at insuring ″substantial equivalence″ in developing and consuming GM foods. The actual impact of the law will depend on the level of citizens'Participation more than on the government's willingness to carry out the law. So far the level of Korean consumers'consciousness about genetically modified foods is very low. Therefore, it is hard to expect consumers to exercise their ″rights not to buy″ foods that are potentially unsafe. The Korean government must devise an effective plan to inform and educate the people about the labeling of genetically modified foods.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.791-799
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• 2016

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of genetically modified (GM) food promotion and education through the blog. Methods: Education program for consumer-oriented GM foods by the blog was developed and survey was performed by the visitors for totals of twelve weeks. The blog was formed by information (definition, mark etc.) offering style and named as "Correct knowing of genetically modified organisms (GMO)." Event was held to enhance the promotion of the blog from the week 9 to week 12. Results: Visitors of the final week increased 4 times, as compared to those of the starting the event week 9. Most of the 138 consumers (94.5%) did not have prior GMO education experience. The 97 consumers aged 20 years old showed significantly the highest ratios in the experience of blog or website (p<0.01). Comparing before and after the blog education, notification on GM foods and willingness to buy GMO products, the benefit of GMO, willingness to check GMO mark when buying GMO products showed positive change of GM foods (p<0.05). Conclusion: Over 80% answered that the blog helped to understand the GM foods. Thus, we conclude using blog is effective way of GM food promotion and education and continuous efforts are needed to maintain an active blog for the consumer's rights of knowledge about GM foods.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.351-362
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• 2003

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of perceived risks toward GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) food on the decision-making to purchase it and demands to reveal its Identity. The major results were as follows. First, consumers strongly perceived the risk toward GMO food, and demanded labeling to identify it. But, many consumers had indecisive in the purchase of GMO food. Second, consumers with high level of perceived risks toward GMO food were more likely not to buy GMO food. In addition, the level of perceived risk was high among consumers who had many children. Finally, consumers with high level of perceived risks toward GMO food were more likely to demand the labelling for identifying GMO food. Consumers who had many children and high level of reliability for labelling food safety strongly demanded to label for revealing GMO food.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.806-811
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• 2006

The regulation of labelling criterion for genetically modified (GM) foods has been enforced since 2001 in Korea. Therefore, GM soybean (GMS) or GM maize (GMM) processed foods must be labeled as GMO derived. We surveyed to see whether this regulation is kept relevantly or not and the distributive statue of GM processed foods. Using the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on endogenous gene (Le1n, SSIIb), promoter gene (P35S), terminator gene (NOS) and transgenic gene (RRS, Bt11, Bt176, GA21, T25, Mon810), we detected GMS and GMM processed foods circulating at the market in Busan area. Out of total 100 samples, 38 items were showed to be contaminated with recombinant gene by qualitative PCR. Among 82 domestic and 18 imported items, 32 (39.0%) and 6 (33.3%) items were detected with GM ingredients respectively. Also among the 80 soybean and 20 maize processed foods, 23 (28.7%) and 15 (75.0%) foods were sensitive to detect GMS and GMM ingredients respectively. For the qualitative PCR positive foods, we chased identity preservation (IP) certificates. And we verified that the PCR positive crops were grown up, harvested and shipped separately from GMO but just mixed with GMO in the threshold of the non attentional contamination levels (3%). Thus we can not find out any regulation-violent case at all. The results of this study will help to keep the regulations of GM labelling and be informative to consumers who want to know the laboratory results of GMO testing.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.136-158
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• 2013

This study identifies the structural determinants of the social acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods across European countries. Toward this end, we suggest an integrated theoretical model to explain the social acceptance of GM foods by including both perception factors (perceived benefit, perceived risk, feelings, trust, and knowledge) and value factors (ethical concerns, science optimism, religiosity, and ideology). This model is then tested by analyzing survey data collected from 18,634 Europeans in 32 countries. The results indicate that first, not only perception factors but also value factors significantly contribute to explaining the acceptance of GM foods. Second, perceived benefits, perceived risk, feelings, and ethical concerns tend to be the four biggest determinants for acceptance. Third, this two-factor model could be generalized even with variation across countries. Finally, ethical concerns and scientific optimism play a moderating role between predictors and outcomes in the acceptance of GM foods.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2016

This study was analyzed to provide fundamental data of food safety education way on the recognition, knowledge and purchase attitude of GMO foods. Data was collected from 270 University students in the Gyeong-gi region through a self-administered questionnaire. According to the results of the reliability and factor analysis, the knowledge and purchase attitude of GMO foods showed 0.742 and 0.832 in Cronbach alpha coefficient, 0.791 and 0.831 in KMO. There were significant differences in the recognition and intake possibility and purchase will, safety and absorption to a GMO foods between the specialty person and non-specialist (p<0.05). By the kind of GMO foods it appeared highly by the order corn (70.0%), tomato (67.5%), beans (63.3%) and potato (51.3%). There were significant differences in the general knowledge of GMO foods (p<0.05), whereas no significant differences in question 'There were no genes in ordinary beans' by a presence of a specialty (p>0.05). After the purchase attitude difference to the GMO foods was analyzed by a presence of a specialty, I appeared most highly in the question to which I say 'I think a GMO foods is ethical.' by a negative question and 'I think a GMO foods is mass-produced, and it's possible to make a food problem decrease.' by an affirmative question. Therefore, the purchase attitude of GMO foods showed a significant differences of University students according to their major (p<0.05). Based on this study, it is considered that provision of detailed and continuous education must be accomplished by raising the recognition of GMO foods and its acceptance level, allowing a proper understanding of GMO foods to be conveyed and assisting subjects from receiving the information they desire effectively by various education mediums.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1150-1156
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• 2004

The GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) labeling system on raw materials has been in Korea since March 2001, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)-derived foods since July 2001. Therefore, we designed a multiplex PCR method to ascertain the validity of the labeling system and to monitor the status of circulation for genetically modified maize (GM Maize). Five lines of GM Maize (GA21, TC1507, Mon810, NK603, and Bt176) were used, and specific primer pairs were designed to detect each line. Using this method, the different lines of GM Maize were monitored from raw products and processed foods in Korean market. Some of the maize processed foods and raw materials were shown to contain more than one foreign gene. This method was found to be effective for-detecting five different GM Maize in a single reaction.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 2003

Various kinds of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and processed foods have been developed during recent years. Genetically modified organisms can be classified into several groups as their development methods. Generally, GMO has three foreign DNA regions such as gene expression adjustment region(Promoter), termination region (terminator) and structure gene. Detection of these regions can be done particularly by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR-based detection can virtually be performed for any GMO within short of time. The most important prerequisite for the application of PCR-based detection is to decide abstraction method of efficient nucleic acids. Specially, in the case of processed food, because nucleic acids of foodstuffs are damaged by heat treatment (sterilization), pressure and fermentation, DNA must be extracted ken the samples prior to PCR analysis. Although many DNA extraction protocols are available, they have rarely been compared in a comprehensive method. In this study low widely used commercial and non-commercial DNA extraction methods-DNeasy$^{TM}$, Wizard$^{TM}$, CTAB, phenol/chloroform system-were compared with respect to the quality and yield of nucleic acids and insertion genes.nes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.331-343
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• 2011

A survey of consumer awareness and attitudes was conducted about genetically modified (GM) foods and the labeling regulations. The questionnaires were distributed to 4,620 consumers who lived in a variety of areas in Korea, and 4,076 people responded. The consumers were asked about knowledge, labeling information, and the source of obtaining information about GM foods. More than 11.5% of the consumers had never heard about GM foods and 86.9% of consumers had less than a normal level of knowledge about GM foods. No statistically significant relationship was found between genders, but the teachers group had moderate knowledge (p<0.001). In total, 28.4% of consumers did not know the GMO labeling regulations. They answered that the reason to buy GM food was do not know>nothing wrong>create benefit>think as safe>inexpensive. The answers to the question of what was the first benefit were: solve food shortage>functional and nutritious food>cultivate in bad condition>nothing>various cultivars. They answered that the worst factor was the next generation effect>environmental disruption. Regarding the development of GM food in Korea, males answered do not know>stronglyrecommend>defer>strongly suppress. Female answered: don't know>defer>strongly recommend>strongly suppress. More than half of the respondents did not have much information about GM foods; 88.3% of respondents answered they did not have educational experience about GM food.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.338-344
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• 2009

This study analyzed consumers' willingness to pay for price increases to avoid the purchase of GM foods by the expansion of GMO labeling. The subjects were asked about their knowledge of GM, concerns of potential hazards, and sources of obtained GM information. The logit model was employed and marginal effects were calculated to interpret the results. The results showed that consumers who perceived the safety of GM technology were less likely to pay for price increases, while consumers who had concerns about GM foods were more likely to pay. In addition, the study demonstrated that consumers residing in urban areas and with low levels of education and income were also less likely to pay for price increases.