Public acceptance of foods from biotechnology

Summary The first results of research into public acceptance of food products made with the new biotechnology in The Netherlands are presented (Hamstra & Feenstra, 1989; Hamstra, 1991). It is supposed that the information is also useful for other European countries. Three parts of the research into acceptance will be elaborated: 1. the knowledge of consumers about biotechnology,2. the forming of consumer opinion on the new biotechnology,3. the construction of a model or scale of acceptance of food products made with modern biotechnology. The model of acceptance must lead eventually to a set of those consumer criteria which should be kept in mind when formulating new food products.