Public opinion toward GMOs and biotechnology in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Until 2009 Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the few countries which didn’t have the law on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The aim of this paper is to identify the public opinion on genetically modified organisms and biotechnology in Bosnia and He
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ulty of Science and Education, University of Mostar, Matice hrvatske bb, 88 000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 Novo naselje Ortiješ 280, 88 000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 Malog Marijana bb, 80 240 Tomislavgrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 Osnovna škola Ante Starþeviüa, Dicmo, Kraj 42, 21 232 Dicmo, Croatia [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Abstract. Until 2009 Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the few countries which didn't have the law on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The aim of this paper is to identify the public opinion on genetically modified organisms and biotechnology in Bosnia and Herzegovina where the survey is enforced. The survey included a handful of questions related to genetically modified (GM) crops, foods, one on the safety of foods and related products, and one of other uses of biotechnology (e.g. in human medicine). The age range of respondents was from 17 to 67 years and total of 734 respondents were interviewed. The answers are represented in the percentage. In conclusion, although respondents were mainly introduced with the term “GMO”, most of them were not satisfied with their knowledge and available information considering biotechnology and its use. We established that the participants displayed a pessimistic attitude which reflected a belief that the widespread use of GMOs is presenting a risk to human health and a risk to environment in a term of endangering native species. Participants only showed a little bit more positive opinion about the use of biotechnology in medicine and pharmacy. Keywords: personal attitude, knowledge, genetically modified food, legislation, GMO labeling
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Introduction
Common aims of ancient alchemists were the transmutation of “base metals” into “noble” ones (particularly gold) and the creation of an elixir of immortality [1]. Biotechnologists can certainly be considered as alchemists of our time. Biotechnology has wide range of use, from science, medicine, agriculture and industry and one of its most debated uses is considered to be genetic engineering, direct manipulation of an organism’s genome. An organism that has been modified, or trans© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017 A. Badnjevic (ed.), CMBEBIH 2017, IFMBE Proceedings 62, DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-4166-2_70
formed, using modern techniques of genetic exchange is commonly referred to as a Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs) [2]. A GMO is formed by the insertion of one or more functional genes into the genome of an organism in order to produce new genetic combination [3]. Flavr Savr tomato, a genetically modified tomato, was the first commercially grown genetically engineered food to be granted a license for human consumption. It was produced by the Californian company Calgene, and submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1992 [4]. When talking about GM crops, just a single GM plant is authorized for cultivation in EU, Bt maize MON810. In the EU, Bt maize has been grown since 1998 [5]. More than
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