Chinese public perceptions of food applications based on synthetic biology
Chinese public perceptions of food applications based on synthetic biology
Synthetic biology (SB) is an emerging area of technological innovation with potential to be applied across a range of sectors, including within agri-food production. However, societal responses to SB and its applications will shape its development, commercialization and regulation trajectories. This research aimed to understand Chinese public responses to SB food in general and in relation to specific agri-food applications using an online survey (n = 1,330) and structural equation modelling. The results showed Chinese respondents have slightly positive attitudes towards SB food in general. Respondents reported an overall acceptance of SB soybean and SB yeast but rejected an SB pig. Of the included factors, benefit perceptions were the most influential in shaping acceptability. Affective reactions influenced benefits perceptions more than risk perceptions across all the applications. General attitudes towards SB food can positively affect the acceptability of specific applications directly, and indirectly via benefit perceptions. Greater perceived unnaturalness was a strong predictor of respondents’ risk perceptions but not of application acceptability. These results suggest that regulations for SB agri-food applications might most align with societal priorities if developed on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks and emerging commercialization strategies should consider the roles of multiple factors to address specific public perceptions and attitudes.
affective reaction, dual-process theory, food innovation adoption, perceived unnaturalness, risk-benefit-acceptance model, synthetic biology
Jin, Shan
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Dawson, Ian G.J.
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Clark, Beth
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Li, Wenjing
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Frewer, Lynn J.
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Jin, Shan
7bc15f23-aef4-464d-8728-bd748a1894b0
Dawson, Ian G.J.
dff1b440-6c83-4354-92b6-04809460b01a
Clark, Beth
27fb4550-68b6-4ee7-8c67-2cff52162147
Li, Wenjing
4590d893-e15b-47dc-936e-ffcc67022695
Frewer, Lynn J.
5050503e-ef70-4d5d-b52e-fc4d2bb93386
Jin, Shan, Dawson, Ian G.J., Clark, Beth, Li, Wenjing and Frewer, Lynn J.
(2023)
Chinese public perceptions of food applications based on synthetic biology.
Food Quality and Preference.
(In Press)
Abstract
Synthetic biology (SB) is an emerging area of technological innovation with potential to be applied across a range of sectors, including within agri-food production. However, societal responses to SB and its applications will shape its development, commercialization and regulation trajectories. This research aimed to understand Chinese public responses to SB food in general and in relation to specific agri-food applications using an online survey (n = 1,330) and structural equation modelling. The results showed Chinese respondents have slightly positive attitudes towards SB food in general. Respondents reported an overall acceptance of SB soybean and SB yeast but rejected an SB pig. Of the included factors, benefit perceptions were the most influential in shaping acceptability. Affective reactions influenced benefits perceptions more than risk perceptions across all the applications. General attitudes towards SB food can positively affect the acceptability of specific applications directly, and indirectly via benefit perceptions. Greater perceived unnaturalness was a strong predictor of respondents’ risk perceptions but not of application acceptability. These results suggest that regulations for SB agri-food applications might most align with societal priorities if developed on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks and emerging commercialization strategies should consider the roles of multiple factors to address specific public perceptions and attitudes.
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Chinese Public Perceptions of Food Applications Based on Synthetic Biology - Accepted Manuscript
- Accepted Manuscript
Restricted to Repository staff only until 18 July 2024.
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 July 2023
Keywords:
affective reaction, dual-process theory, food innovation adoption, perceived unnaturalness, risk-benefit-acceptance model, synthetic biology
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 479904
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/479904
ISSN: 0950-3293
PURE UUID: 8835b08d-a47f-4128-a6fd-7b5246f69c64
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Date deposited: 28 Jul 2023 16:47
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:20
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Contributors
Author:
Shan Jin
Author:
Beth Clark
Author:
Wenjing Li
Author:
Lynn J. Frewer
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