CHICAGO – As discussion and debate increases regarding genetically modified foods (GMFs), recent data from The NPD Group's Food Safety Monitor, which tracks levels of consumer awareness and concern about genetically modified foods and other food safety issues, provides insights on their feelings and concerns regarding GMFs.

Three out of four adults in the US have heard or read about GMFs and almost half of adults have some level of concern that GMFs pose a health hazard, according to information from the NPD Group’s Food Safety Monitor, which has tracked food-safety concerns and eating intentions in the US every other week since 2001.

Other responses to questions on GMFs include:

• Overall, how much have you heard or read about GMFs? – In addition to the 73 percent of the adults reporting they have some level of awareness of GMFs, 16 percent of adults are highly aware and have heard a great deal or quite a bit about GMFs.
• How concerned are you that GMFs pose a health hazard in the food that you might eat in the next month? – In addition to the 48 percent of adults who have some level of concern that GMFs pose a health hazard in the food that they might eat in the next month, 15 percent of adults are extremely concerned or very concerned.