• 
  • Overview
  • Chassi
    • Probiotics
    • Promoters
    • Reporter genes
    • Toxin-antitoxin system
    • Vectors
    • Signal peptide
  • Metabolic engineering
    • P-coumeric acid
    • Resveratrol
    • Lycopene
    • β-carotene
    • Astraxantin
    • Zeaxantin
  • Chromoprotein
  • Safety experiments
  • Result
• 
  • Resveratrol pathway
  • Carotenoids pathway
• 
• 
  • Resveratrol group
  • Carotenoid group
  • Chassi group
  • Advisors
• 
  • Yoghurt products
  • SynBio Day
  • Bioethics
  • Bioethics and Safety
  • Society and Outreach
  • High School Outreach
  • Media Outreach
• 
• 
  • Protocol
  • Lab journal

Market researchs and interviews about GMO and Yoghurt +

We wanted to know more about peoples opinion about genetically modified organisms and how their opinion would affect the success our conceptual product “Yoghurt+”. This was also a easy way to reach out to people about synthetic biology and what we do.

The interview

The next graph shows the age distribution

We started the interview by asking people if they knew what the abbreviation GMO stands for. The results was that 8 persons knew and 42 didn’t.

If we asked a person that didn't know what the abbreviation GMO stands for, we gave a short introduction to the meaning of the word and some examples. One example used was golden rice and another was glowing plants. In the following question we asked people about their opinions concerning GMO; ‘for’ 'against' or 'not sure'. The results of the question can be seen in the graph below

Then we wanted to know if people would drink our conceptual Yoghurt, containing different supplements. So we asked people if they eat supplements, for example vitamins. 19 persons said that they took some kind of supplements, mostly vitamins. 31 persons didn't take any supplements. GMO; 'for' 'against' or 'not sure'. The results of the question can me seen in the graph below.

Following this question, we informed people about our project and our conceptual yoghurt. Then we asked people if they would consider drinking our yoghurt if our yoghurt was granted permission by “livsmedelsverket”, Sweden’s equivalent to FDA. Most people would consider to drink yoghurt. But buying the yoghurt will of course depend on taste and price. The graph below show's the distribution of those who could consider, could not consider and those who are not sure about drinking our product.

An interesting fact from our market research is that, 60% of those against GMO in general, could still consider drinking our yoghurt. Here are some quotes from interviewed people concerning their opinions about GMO. All the quotes are translated from Swedish to English. “Spontaneously no, does it end there?”
“Not okay to play creator, anyhow”
“We don't know enough”
“Feels like we won't have any food in the future if we don't use this kind of technology, this is how the future looks like”
“It should be natural”
“Sounds good when you describe it, but who knows what big company's could do with this technology”
“No, I am a farmer and this technology could out compete us”
“Our body's are not adapted to this”
“I don't think it's okay to genetically modify animals but plants and stuff might be okay”
“As long as it stays within reasonably limits”
“I don't like gray areas. For example, I don't like foster diagnostics”
And a quote from a person concerning, drinking our yoghurt.
“It would be okay to launch a product like this in developing countries but not in west, we are a spoiled culture and we don't need it”

Conclusion

Firsthand, not many of the interviewed people knew exactly what GMO is. But after we made a brief explanation of the field, several people had opinions about it. Many people were against GMO, but still a lot of them would drink our yoghurt. This results can tell us that people are still skeptical to the general GMO concept. But when it comes to inventions that can benefit peoples health and economy people tend to accept it anyway.

Our yoghurt+ could definitely be a product of the future.