The Experts below are selected from a list of 6549 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Susan L Hefle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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will Genetically Modified Foods be allergenic
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2001Co-Authors: Stephen L Taylor, Susan L HefleAbstract:Foods produced through agricultural biotechnology, including such staples as corn, soybeans, canola, and potatoes, are already reaching the consumer marketplace. Agricultural biotechnology offers the promise to produce crops with improved agronomic characteristics (eg, insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, and climatic tolerance) and enhanced consumer benefits (eg, better taste and texture, longer shelf life, and more nutritious). Certainly, the products of agricultural biotechnology should be subjected to a careful and complete safety assessment before commercialization. Because the genetic modification ultimately results in the introduction of new proteins into the food plant, the safety, including the potential allergenicity, of the newly introduced proteins must be assessed. Although most allergens are proteins, only a few of the many proteins found in Foods are allergenic under the typical circumstances of exposure. The potential allergenicity of the introduced proteins can be evaluated by focusing on the source of the gene, the sequence homology of the newly introduced protein to known allergens, the expression level of the novel protein in the Modified crop, the functional classification of the novel protein, the reactivity of the novel protein with IgE from the serum of individuals with known allergies to the source of the transferred genetic material, and various physicochemical properties of the newly introduced protein, such as heat stability and digestive stability. Few products of agricultural biotechnology (and none of the current products) will involve the transfer of genes from known allergenic sources. Applying such criteria provides reasonable assurance that the newly introduced protein has limited capability to become an allergen.
Stephen L Taylor - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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will Genetically Modified Foods be allergenic
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2001Co-Authors: Stephen L Taylor, Susan L HefleAbstract:Foods produced through agricultural biotechnology, including such staples as corn, soybeans, canola, and potatoes, are already reaching the consumer marketplace. Agricultural biotechnology offers the promise to produce crops with improved agronomic characteristics (eg, insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, and climatic tolerance) and enhanced consumer benefits (eg, better taste and texture, longer shelf life, and more nutritious). Certainly, the products of agricultural biotechnology should be subjected to a careful and complete safety assessment before commercialization. Because the genetic modification ultimately results in the introduction of new proteins into the food plant, the safety, including the potential allergenicity, of the newly introduced proteins must be assessed. Although most allergens are proteins, only a few of the many proteins found in Foods are allergenic under the typical circumstances of exposure. The potential allergenicity of the introduced proteins can be evaluated by focusing on the source of the gene, the sequence homology of the newly introduced protein to known allergens, the expression level of the novel protein in the Modified crop, the functional classification of the novel protein, the reactivity of the novel protein with IgE from the serum of individuals with known allergies to the source of the transferred genetic material, and various physicochemical properties of the newly introduced protein, such as heat stability and digestive stability. Few products of agricultural biotechnology (and none of the current products) will involve the transfer of genes from known allergenic sources. Applying such criteria provides reasonable assurance that the newly introduced protein has limited capability to become an allergen.
Mary Jane Selgrade - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Key issues for the assessment of the allergenic potential of Genetically Modified Foods: Breakout group reports
Environmental Health Perspectives, 2003Co-Authors: Dori R Germolec, Lynn Goldman, Ian Kimber, Mary Jane SelgradeAbstract:On the final afternoon of the workshop "Assessment of the Allergenic Potential of Genetically Modified Foods," held 10-12 December 2001 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, speakers and participants met in breakout groups to discuss specific questions in the areas of use of human clinical data, animal models to assess food allergy, biomarkers of exposure and effect, sensitive populations, dose-response assessment, and postmarket surveillance. Each group addressed general questions regarding allergenicity of Genetically Modified Foods and specific questions for each subject area. This article is a brief summary of the discussions of each of the six breakout groups regarding our current state of knowledge and what information is needed to advance the field.
L J Frewer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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societal aspects of Genetically Modified Foods
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2004Co-Authors: L J Frewer, Jesper Lassen, B Kettlitz, Joachim Scholderer, V Beekman, K G BerdalAbstract:This paper aims to examine some of the reasons behind public controversy associated with the introduction of Genetically Modified Foods in Europe the 1990s. The historical background to the controversy is provided to give context. The issue of public acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods, and indeed the emerging biosciences more generally, is considered in the context of risk perceptions and attitudes, public trust in regulatory institutions, scientists, and industry, and the need to develop communication strategies that explicitly include public concerns rather than exclude them. Increased public participation has been promoted as a way of increasing trust in institutional practices associated with the biosciences, although questions still arise as to how to best utilise the outputs of such exercises in policy development. This issue will become more of a priority as decision-making systems become more transparent and open to public scrutiny. The results are discussed in the context of risk assessment and risk management, and recommendations for future research are made. In particular, it is recommended that new methods are developed in order to integrate public values more efficaciously into risk analysis processes, specifically with respect to the biosciences and to technology implementation in general.
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communicating about the risks and benefits of Genetically Modified Foods the mediating role of trust
Risk Analysis, 2003Co-Authors: L J Frewer, Joachim Scholderer, Lone BredahlAbstract:Recent research suggests that public attitudes toward emerging technologies are mainly driven by trust in the institutions promoting and regulating these technologies. Alternative views maintain that trust should be seen as a consequence rather than a cause of such attitudes. To test its actual role, direct as well as mediating effects of trust were tested in an attitude change experiment involving 1,405 consumers from Denmark, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. After prior attitudes to genetic modification in food production had been assessed, participants received different information materials (either product-specific information or balanced/general information about genetic modification in food production) and were asked to evaluate different types of Genetically Modified Foods (either beer or yoghurt). The information materials were attributed to different information sources (either an industry association, a consumer organization, or a government source). After completion, perceived risk and perceived benefit were assessed, and participants indicated their trust in the information sources to which the materials had been attributed. Direct and trust-mediated attitude change effects were estimated in a multi-sample structural equation model. The results showed that information provision had little effect on people's attitudes toward Genetically Modified Foods, and that perceptions of information source characteristics contributed very little to attitude change. Furthermore, the type of information strategy adopted had almost no impact on postexperimental attitudes. The extent to which people trusted the information sources appeared to be driven by people's attitudes to Genetically Modified Foods, rather than trust influencing the way that people reacted to the information. Trust was not driving risk perception—rather, attitudes were informing perceptions of the motivation of the source providing the information.
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communicating about the risks and benefits of Genetically Modified Foods effects of different information strategies
2000Co-Authors: L J Frewer, Joachim Scholderer, Clive Downs, Lone BredahlAbstract:The research reported here aimed to investigate the effects of different types of information about Genetically Modified Foods on both consumer attitudes towards genetic modification and their tendency to choose Genetically Modified products (compared to more traditionally manufactured alternatives). The impact of information strategy (balanced, or product specific), attributed information source (The “European Association of Consumers”, the “European Association of Industry” or the “European Commission”) and type of product (yoghurt or beer) were systematically examined in the four European countries involved in the research. The effects of a classical advertising approach were also examined in Denmark and Germany. The results indicated that • Providing information does not increase acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods. The reverse was found to be true. • In all countries, consumers tended to select non-Genetically Modified products. Cross-national differences related to type of product were not very pronounced. • Those respondents who had positive prior attitudes towards Genetically Modified Foods were more likely to select Genetically Modified Foods. These attitudes were not influenced by information provision. • The form of information strategy about Genetically Modified Foods was not important. However, the provision of information (in itself) was more likely to activate existing attitudes already held by respondents than change these attitudes. • Labelling of Genetically Modified products alone was unlikely to result in attitude activation. • These results are likely to be applicable only in cultures in which attitudes towards Genetically Modified Foods are already well established. Information may have a different impact in countries in which the public have not been exposed to information about Genetically Modified Foods. • Information source characteristics do influence consumer choices regarding Genetically Modified Foods. In particular, consumers are more likely to choose Genetically Modified products if the source providing information about them is perceived to be honest, and the information is product specific, or if the source is perceived to be dishonest, and the information is balanced and general in content. • Industry was perceived to be more dishonest providers of information about Genetically Modified Foods in Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom, but not in Germany, where industry was as trusted as the other sources. • Increased transparency might improve public trust in industry. However, the public are more likely to believe the European Commission or consumer organisations when communicating about genetic modification.
Roxanne Parrott - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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math anxiety and exposure to statistics in messages about Genetically Modified Foods effects of numeracy math self efficacy and form of presentation
Journal of Health Communication, 2014Co-Authors: Kami J Silk, Roxanne ParrottAbstract:Health risks are often communicated to the lay public in statistical formats even though low math skills, or innumeracy, have been found to be prevalent among lay individuals. Although numeracy has been a topic of much research investigation, the role of math self-efficacy and math anxiety on health and risk communication processing has received scant attention from health communication researchers. To advance theoretical and applied understanding regarding health message processing, the authors consider the role of math anxiety, including the effects of math self-efficacy, numeracy, and form of presenting statistics on math anxiety, and the potential effects for comprehension, yielding, and behavioral intentions. The authors also examine math anxiety in a health risk context through an evaluation of the effects of exposure to a message about Genetically Modified Foods on levels of math anxiety. Participants (N = 323) were randomly assigned to read a message that varied the presentation of statistical evi...
