Dimension: Disclosure of information

The items in this dimension were structured in order to find out which are the attitudes related to: sufficiency and availability of information, trust in the information issued in various media, and citizen participation in the development of related regulations. The representative trend of the dimension with the participation of 383 participants was “somewhat favorable” (77.4 % of the total) (Table 4).

In the same dimension, the “somewhat favorable” criterion stood out in all areas knowledge analyzed; the following areas had a +80 % participation: Agronomy (83 %), Chemical Sciences (83 %), Postgraduate (81 %), and Economy and Commerce (81 %) (Figure 1). The analysis per items suggested that information about the advantages and disadvantages of GMOs is indeed available; however, participants showed little faith in the information provided by the media (53.9 % of the participants considered that it was untrustworthy), and the relevant institutions must increase the information available to the public (55.6 % of the participants considered that there is a lack of information).

Figure 1 Attitudes per area of knowledge in the disclosure of information dimension. 

The trust of the participants in the information provided by the media can be attributed to the segmented approach of some of the communication channels. Consumers should have access to impartial, clear, and complete information, before they decide whether they would use or not GMOs. This will likely improve the attitude towards the topic (^{Han and Harrison, 2007}).

The participants declared their ignorance about the role that the consumer plays within the GMO legislation. Public participation and trust in decision-making and the regulatory framework is very important; therefore, the public must be made more aware of this information and it should be allowed to engage in decision-making through public consultations (^{Frewer, 2003}).

A public consultation process is carried out when an authorization request for planting GMOs in any Mexican region is looked into (^{DOF, 2005}). This type of consultation promotes citizen participation. Citizens are asked their opinion on the topic, which should have technical and scientific basis (^{DOF, 2005}). However, only few citizens are aware of this right. Therefore, decision-makers must analyze the channels that are currently used to spread information.

Dimension: Application of GMOs in agriculture

In this dimension, the “somewhat favorable” criterion stood out as the attitude trend among the 307 participants (61.8 % of the total). The “very favorable” assessment (30 % of the total) ranked second (Table 4). The favorable trend stood out in all areas (50 %) (Figure 2). The participants accepted the benefits of GMOs in agricultural crops. These results match the findings of ^{Aerni et al. (2001)}. GMOs are an alternative that promotes agriculture and improves agricultural crop yield. Additionally, their capacity to withstand extreme drought or humidity conditions has been recognized.

Figure 2 Attitudes per areas of knowledge in the application of GMOs in agriculture dimension. 

The favorability criterion obtained in this dimension included the participants’ uncertainty about the effect and potential impact of GMOs in the quality of nearby food and crops. According to ^{Beckwith et al. (2003)}, this attitude can be attributed to the ignorance of the consequences for human health, for example, the development of potential allergic reactions as a result of eating food with GM content. In the case of the effect on crops, the perceived risks may include potential cross-pollination between GM and non-GM species, pest resistance problems, and unforeseen consequences (^{Beckwith et al., 2003}).

Dimension: Environmental impact

The information provided by the participants in relation to environmental advantages or disadvantages of using GMOs, potential impacts on non-target species, use of agrochemicals, and impacts on soil showed a mostly favorable attitude trend. This criterion was chosen by 359 participants (75.3 % of the total). This trend was followed by the “very favorable” criterion (18.2 % of the total) (Table 4). The score was higher than 70 % in all areas, although the trend was higher among science (82 %) and postgraduate (88 %) students (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Attitudes per areas of knowledge in the environmental impact dimension. 

The previous findings matched the results of ^{Aerni et al. (2001)}: the participants approved the use of GMOs as an alternative to solve crop problems (such as pest infestation) and to control the use of insecticides. However, there was great uncertainty regarding the use of GMOs to reduce the application of herbicides, as well as the impact on soil and non-target species (^{Anderson et al., 2005}; ^{Montesinos-López et al., 2015}). According to ^{FAO (2001)}, some unforeseen environmental effects could impact microbial populations in the soil. These populations regulate the flow of N, P, and other essential elements for cultivation. Additionally, the transfer of genetic material to other species is still uncertain (^{FAO, 2001}; ^{Beckwith et al., 2003}).

Dimension: Labeling of products with genetically modified content

In this dimension, the participants’ opinion about the relevance of using visible information, such as labels or markers, that declare the GM ingredients included was analyzed. The representative trend of attitudes was “very favorable”, with the contribution of 293 participants (59 % of the total). This attitude was followed by the “somewhat favorable” criterion (34 % of the participants) (Table 4). The “very favorable” criterion stood out in the following areas: Architecture and Engineering (69.7 %), Sciences (64.4 %), Health Sciences (60.3 %), Economy and Commerce (59.5 %), Law and Social Sciences (55.2 %), and Agronomy (50.8 %). In the Chemical Sciences area, the score was higher in the “somewhat favorable” attitude (50 % of the participation), followed by “very favorable” (45.4 % of the participants) (Figure 4).

Figure 4 Attitudes per area of knowledge in the labeling of products with genetically modified content dimension. 

The trend in attitudes pointed out the importance of labeling of products with GM content. This matched the conclusions reached by ^{Montesinos-López et al. (2015)}: most participants were in favor of labeling products with GMOs. Those labels do not imply that those products are unsafe. ^{Viljoen and Marx (2013)} agree that labeling products with GM content respect the right of the consumers to know what they are consuming and their freedom to choose whether or not to buy the product. Therefore, analyzing the relationship between labeling and consumer trust, with food quality and safety, would be advisable (^{van Rijswijk et al., 2008}).

In Mexico, in certain cases, the Ley de Bioseguridad de Organismos Genéticamente Modificados (Law on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms) provides for the inclusion of information about food composition in the product’s label. When the product contains components or nutritional properties that are significantly different from conventional products, its label must include the appropriate information (^{DOF, 2005}). The topic is of general interest; therefore, the information channels must be improved and the consumer participation in decision-making must be encouraged. The findings of this study identified the participants’ need to be aware of the composition of GM products. Labeling can provide a visual way to inform the public about GM content.

Dimension: Use of GMOs for human consumption

In this dimension, the participants’ opinion about the potential benefits and risks involved in the consumption of foods with GM content such as the increase in the product shelf life and its vitamin content, and the development of toxins and allergens was recorded. The “somewhat favorable” attitude stood out in the attitude analysis: this criterion was chosen by 395 participants (82.8 % of the total). All analyzed areas showed scores higher than 70 %. The areas which showed a more favorable attitude were: Postgraduate (90.6 %), Sciences (90.2 %), Economy and Commerce (87.8 %), Architecture and Engineering (85.9 %), and Chemical Sciences (81.8 %) (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Attitudes per area of knowledge in the use of GMOs for human consumption dimension. 

Favorable opinions mainly took into consideration that this type of food can be an alternative to improve its availability and shelf life. However, participants were uncertain about the advantages or disadvantages of its vitamin content and allergen potential. According to Beckwith et al. (2011), the GMOs’ contribution to food nutritional content is recognized. However, participants voiced their uncertainty about the future potential impacts of GMOs in human health. This lack of knowledge shows that scientific research in the area must be expanded.