This thesis examines consumer behavior towards food risks in three different papers, focusing on two food concerns: genetically modified (GM) food and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The first paper investigates the roles of different measures of trust on consumers stated choices for functional GM/nonGM canola oil products. These analyses show that consumers choices for GM/nonGM canola oil are influenced by both generalized trust and trust in food institutions. In general, trusting people are less likely to be in the group of respondents that can be characterized as being anti-GM; trusting people also tend to place a lower discount on the presence of a GM attribute. The second paper focuses on the modeling of consumers choices of foods with potential health and risk attributes. The analysis extends the linear compensatory utility model by allowing for use of attribute cutoffs in decision making. We find evidence that attribute cutoffs are commonly used by decision makers. Further, incorporating attribute cutoffs into the modeling of consumers choices significantly improved the model fit. This paper also examines a potential problem of endogeneity that may be associated with respondents self-reported cutoffs. Model estimates based on self-reported cutoffs differ substantially from those based on predicted cutoffs (where these are based on respondents demographic characteristics); potential reasons include the possibility that self-reported cutoffs may be endogenous. The third paper reports the impacts of habit and trust on consumers responses to a series of three BSE incidents in Canada. We observe that households reactions to the first two BSE events followed a similar pattern: households reduced their beef expenditure shares following the BSE announcements, but these subsequently recovered. We find that habit persistence reduced some households initial negative reactions to the first BSE incident, but that these households modified their beef consumption habits following recurring BSE incidents. Assessing the impacts of trust on households reactions to these BSE incidents, we find that trust tended to offset the negative effects of recurring BSE cases. / Agricultural and Resource Economics

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According to Millar (1996), the gulf between science and society is growing. Technologies are tools cultures develop to solve society's problems. The rapid dispersion of science and technology across cultural borders through trade, technology transfer and exchange, increasingly requires people in different cultures to make choices about accepting or rejecting artifacts of science and technology such as genetically modified (GM) foods, which originate primarily from the United States. These issues challenge policy makers and scientists to account for the affects of different cultural perspectives on controversial scientific issues. Given the controversy across cultures over acceptance or rejection of genetically modified (GM) foods, GM foods are an excellent example with which to begin to reveal how culture impacts public perceptions of the risk and benefits of science and technology in different societies. This research will: 1. Define public awareness and understanding of science, specifically GM foods; 2. Examine culture's impact on knowledge, including different cultural approaches to research; and 3. Compare recent findings of a bi-national public opinion survey on GM comparing in South Korea and the United States. The proposed research outlines two research questions: 1) How and in what ways do South Koreans and Americans differ in their opinions about GMOs? This question is important for gathering current points of contrast about how the two cultures may differ; and 2) What role does culture play on opinion formation about GM foods? Through grounded theory, the researcher will investigate how cultural differences help explain opinion on public perceptions of GM foods. Is it possible to identify common cultural factors that impact public perceptions of GM foods between South Koreans and Americans? The study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Higher education is a major producer of new science and technology. The study is significant for higher education administrators who must understand cultural factors impacting science internationally and globalization of the academic enterprise.

O recente crescimento da produção de organismos geneticamente modificados (OGM) no mundo tem demandado novas políticas de controle de plantio e comercialização de produtos alimentícios produzidos com ingredientes GM. Vários aspectos influenciam a análise de detecção e quantificação de OGM em alimentos, e em última instância, o monitoramento e atendimento à legislação e rotulagem. Este estudo se propôs a avaliar três destes aspectos, através da metodologia de análise de PCR em tempo real: a degradação de DNA e a presença adventícia de culturas GM e não-GM, ambas decorrentes da produção e processamento dos grãos em matérias-primas e produtos para consumo, bem como os planos de amostragem existentes para coleta de material alimentício destinado às análises de OGMs. Resultados demonstraram que os processos de fabricação degradam o material genético em diferentes graus em algumas matrizes de alimentos, viabilizando ou não, a análise por PCR em tempo real. Na cadeia de manufatura de subprodutos de soja, milho, arroz e trigo, 45% das amostras apresentaram detecção para uma cultura diferente da principal, sendo 44% deste total, GM. A adoção de metodologias de análise que se restringem à detecção de poucos genes-alvo, ou aplicadas somente a amostras compostas de soja ou milho, já não são mais suficientes para o rastreamento e quantificação dos alimentos contendo matérias-primas geneticamente modificadas. O plano de amostragem proposto foi representativo e delineado sob medida para avaliação de bebida à base de soja produzida em escala industrial, porém mais matrizes necessitam ser testadas para uma avaliação global das estratégias de amostragem. / The recent increase in genetically modified organisms (GMO) production is requiring new control policies for cultivation and commercialization of food products containing GM ingredients. There are many factors that can influence detection and quantification of GMO ingredients in food products, and these can ultimately influence the monitoring, labeling and legislation observance. In this work, we intended to evaluate three of these factors, using real-time PCR analysis method: DNA degradation; adventitious presence of GM and non-GM cultures, both caused by grain production and raw materials and finished products processing; and the available sampling plans for the collection of food material for GM analysis. Results in some food matrices showed that the manufacturing processes can degrade the genetic material in different degrees, allowing or not, the real-time PCR analysis. Regarding the soya beans, maize, rice and wheat manufacturing chains, 45% of the samples presented positive detection for a secondary crop, of which 44% were GM. The adoption of analysis methodologies restricted to a few target-genes, or applied solely to samples composed by soya or maize is simply not enough for tracking and quantification of food containing GM raw material. The sampling plan was representative and fit-for-purpose for one tested soya-based beverage and produced in industrial scale, however, more lots and matrices need to be analyzed for a global evaluation of the sampling strategies.

O recente crescimento da produção de organismos geneticamente modificados (OGM) no mundo tem demandado novas políticas de controle de plantio e comercialização de produtos alimentícios produzidos com ingredientes GM. Vários aspectos influenciam a análise de detecção e quantificação de OGM em alimentos, e em última instância, o monitoramento e atendimento à legislação e rotulagem. Este estudo se propôs a avaliar três destes aspectos, através da metodologia de análise de PCR em tempo real: a degradação de DNA e a presença adventícia de culturas GM e não-GM, ambas decorrentes da produção e processamento dos grãos em matérias-primas e produtos para consumo, bem como os planos de amostragem existentes para coleta de material alimentício destinado às análises de OGMs. Resultados demonstraram que os processos de fabricação degradam o material genético em diferentes graus em algumas matrizes de alimentos, viabilizando ou não, a análise por PCR em tempo real. Na cadeia de manufatura de subprodutos de soja, milho, arroz e trigo, 45% das amostras apresentaram detecção para uma cultura diferente da principal, sendo 44% deste total, GM. A adoção de metodologias de análise que se restringem à detecção de poucos genes-alvo, ou aplicadas somente a amostras compostas de soja ou milho, já não são mais suficientes para o rastreamento e quantificação dos alimentos contendo matérias-primas geneticamente modificadas. O plano de amostragem proposto foi representativo e delineado sob medida para avaliação de bebida à base de soja produzida em escala industrial, porém mais matrizes necessitam ser testadas para uma avaliação global das estratégias de amostragem. / The recent increase in genetically modified organisms (GMO) production is requiring new control policies for cultivation and commercialization of food products containing GM ingredients. There are many factors that can influence detection and quantification of GMO ingredients in food products, and these can ultimately influence the monitoring, labeling and legislation observance. In this work, we intended to evaluate three of these factors, using real-time PCR analysis method: DNA degradation; adventitious presence of GM and non-GM cultures, both caused by grain production and raw materials and finished products processing; and the available sampling plans for the collection of food material for GM analysis. Results in some food matrices showed that the manufacturing processes can degrade the genetic material in different degrees, allowing or not, the real-time PCR analysis. Regarding the soya beans, maize, rice and wheat manufacturing chains, 45% of the samples presented positive detection for a secondary crop, of which 44% were GM. The adoption of analysis methodologies restricted to a few target-genes, or applied solely to samples composed by soya or maize is simply not enough for tracking and quantification of food containing GM raw material. The sampling plan was representative and fit-for-purpose for one tested soya-based beverage and produced in industrial scale, however, more lots and matrices need to be analyzed for a global evaluation of the sampling strategies.

Plant-based meat (PBM) fulfills the criteria set by the European Union regulations for the product to be sold in the EU and is currently a highly consumed conventional meat substitute in the region. Whereas, cell-based meat (CBM), as of July 2023, does not fulfill the criteria set by the EU regulations for the product to be legally sold in the EU. This is due to CBM companies not submitting the required Novel Food application to EFSA to recieve market approval. Therefore, CBM is currently not legally sold in the EU and not consumed in the region. This thesis analyzes the impact of EU regulations and consumer behavior, and how these factors affect the growth of the PBM and CBM markets. The restriction of the thesis, the PBM and CBM markets, has been chosen due to them being the primary forms of alternative proteins that are a more sustainable choice to conventional meat. The intention of the thesis is to bring attention to the interplay between law and business, and the implications of their interconnectedness. The thesis is written with the aspiration to answer the question; to what extent have EU regulations and consumer behavior affected the expansion of the plant and cell-based meat markets? To this end, we began with determining if the legal criteria of the regulatory framework applicable to PBM and CBM constitute equal regulatory conditions for the markets to expand in the EU. The regulatory framework referred to in the thesis is restricted to the primary legislations applicable to alternative proteins, which are the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Regulation (EU) No 1829/2003, Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, EU Food Law Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, and EU labeling requirements. We then conducted a collection of previous research on both the PBM and CBM markets restricted to sustainability, retail market, consumer behavior, financial investment, development, and production processes and costs. Thereafter, we compared the previous research and the aforementioned EU regulations to conclude the impacts of the regulations and the differences in the legal application between PBM and CBM. We also conclude how consumer behavior impacts the growth of a market in addition to the regulatory requirements, and showcase their combined effects on the market. The results suggested that compliance with EU regulations determines if the products are authorized to be legally sold in the EU while consumer behavior influences market acceptance and the extent of growth. The key regulatory difference affecting the ability of CBM to comply and experience similar growth to PBM is the Novel Food Regulation, due to it categorizing cell-based products as novel foods. As of May 2023, no companies in the EU have submitted a Novel Food application to EFSA for CBM.