Biotech foods produce mixed feelings in US
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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Americans are still split in their opinions aboutgenetically engineered foods. The finding is from one thousand adults questioned for the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. This is a project of the University of Richmond in Virginia supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

34 percent said they believed genetically2 modified foods are safe. 29 percent thought they are unsafe.

Support increased when people were told that most processed foods contain at least small amounts of genetically engineered organisms.

After that, 45 percent thought the foods were safe. But 29 percent still believed they were unsafe.

Only 21 percent said that five years ago when the project first measured public understanding and support for biotechnologies.

Genetically engineered soybeans, corn and cotton have been available to American farmers for ten years. Much of the corn and soy is fed to animals. But many foods contain genetically modified soy lecithin, corn syrup3 and other products.

Supporters say these foods are safe. They say genetic1 engineering improves crops. These versions are often designed to resist damage from insects or agricultural chemicals.

But the Pew Initiative says public understanding of biotech foods remains4 low. 60 percent said they believed they had never eaten them.

The Food and Drug Administration does not require companies to identify biotech foods to the public. 43 percent of the people said they would feel better if the F.D.A. had more rules. Now, the agency only asks companies to consult with it about biotech foods they want to market.

Some companies market products as being free of genetically modified organisms.

This year the Pew research added questions about animal cloning. Only 27 percent of those who said they had heard of it expressed comfort with the idea. 61 percent said they were uncomfortable with it.

The F.D.A. says it is moving closer to permitting the sale of milk and meat from animals that are genetic copies of other animals. For now, companies are being asked to cooperate with the agency and not market such products.

37 percent of the people said family and friends were their most trusted sources of information about biotech foods. Farmers were second, then scientists. Five years ago, the top answer was the F.D.A. Now it is fourth.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.

genetically engineered food : 转基因食品



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1 genetic PgIxp     
adj.遗传的,遗传学的
参考例句:
  • It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
  • Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
2 genetically Lgixo     
adv.遗传上
参考例句:
  • All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
  • Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物
3 syrup hguzup     
n.糖浆,糖水
参考例句:
  • I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
  • Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。
4 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
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