FDA Focus Groups Show Mixed Understanding of Biotech

February 14, 2001

Focus groups organized by the Food and Drug Administration demonstrated "an uneven knowledge and understanding" of bioengineered foods, according to FDA. "On the one hand, they have heard a fair amount about the uses of biotechnology in the context of medical and drug research and other areas, and they are not surprised that biotechnology is being applied to foods. On the other hand, most were vague about the details," according to FDA.

Few participants could report on any direct product experience with foods produced by biotechnology. Some had heard that other countries in Europe did not want to import these types of American foods but most of these participants were uncertain why. "Very few participants had any sense of what recombinant DNA procedures involved, and some participants had fanciful views on the subject, e.g., Miracle-Gro as a form of bioengineering."

For the most part, participants had heard about biotechnology as a new technology with great potential, but they knew very little about how it was being applied. Some participants, particularly in Vermont, had heard about the rBST (bovine somatotropin, a hormone used in dairy cows to increase milk production) controversy from news stories. "In other words, general awareness was high, though largely abstract and based on second hand reports, while specific knowledge was low," FDA said.

FDA conducted a series of consumer focus groups in last spring help better understand how U.S. consumers think about these issues. The focus groups were designed to provide insight into consumers' awareness of foods produced through biotechnology, their familiarity and understanding of possible terms for describing these foods, and their reactions to options for identifying whether foods are or are not products of bioengineering.

Twelve groups were conducted between May 10-24 in Calverton, MD; Burlington, VT; Seattle, WA, and Kansas City, MO. The cities were selected to provide a broad representation of geographical and cultural diversity. Participants were recruited from the general population. The three groups at each site were composed of a mix of males and females of varying ages and ethnicity representing the makeup of the local community. One group at each site was defined as concerned about biotechnology on the basis of screening questions.

The report is available on the Internet at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/biorpt.html.