As GMO awareness grows, so does consumer concern

Consumers have become more informed about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in recent years, but that knowledge also has increased concerns about their safety in food products, new research from NPD Group finds. About a third of U.S. consumers now say they have little to no familiarity with GMOs, down from roughly half in 2013, according to the NPD report.Consumers increasingly recognize that GMOs have benefits in producing more resilient crops, NPD said. However, GMOs are also the fastest-growing food additive concern, the research shows.The consumers who are aware of and concerned about GMOs said their worries center around food safety and an interest in eating authentic, “real” foods. These consumers tend to make healthy choices when grocery shopping and shop at specialty grocers, produce stores and other retail channels in addition to traditional grocery stores.Only 11 percent of consumers said they were aware that a federal GMO labeling law was passed in 2016.The law, which goes into effect in 2018, gives m