This quantitative study explores procedural knowledge, perception of GM food products and
factors that influence the purchasing decision of 326 respondents by means of a
questionnaire. Recruitment of the respondents was done by approaching various businesses
and Schools in Mooi River to which the questionnaire was distributed to their respective
personnel. The respondents’ showed that they were not very knowledgeable of GM food
products, but were not particularly ignorant either. The results also showed that they did not
look for any GM-related information from various sources and believed that scientists were
the most credible source of GM-related information. In general, the respondents did not
perceive GM food products as having any nutritional benefits; did not perceive GM food
products to provide an economic benefit, except to increase food supplies by boosting the
economy through the implementation of biotechnology; and perceived longer shelf life as a
beneficial GM food product quality. The respondents also feared the susceptibility to cancer,
toxicity, allergic reactions, alterations in kidney functions, immune malfunction and especially
infertility problems after consumption of GM food products. The respondents did not show
particular fear towards the ethical aspects of GM food products, except in that GM food
products are produced in an unethical manner. Fear was also not shown towards the
consumption aspects of GM food products including scepticism towards the safety GM food
products and possible threats to living things. The respondents indicated that increased food
supplies through the production of GM food products, possible cancer development after
consumption, allergenicity, reduced usage of pesticides and harmful effect on the environment
were GM-related factors that would influence their purchasing decision of GM food products.
The general GM-related barriers that influenced the respondents purchasing decision of GM
food products included not looking out for GM food products in particular, knowing too little
about GM food products, not having a particular interest in GM food products and never
knowing if a product contains a GM component or not.
Esi sifundo, nesiqhutywa ngokuqwalasela amanani ezenzeko, saphanda ngolwazi lwendlela
ebonwa ngayo inkqubo yeemveliso zokutya zeGM (iimveliso ezinyangwe ngobuchule obaziwa
ngelesiNgesi elithi genetically modified) kwakunye neemeko eziphembelela izigqibo
zokuthenga ezi mveliso, zigqibo ezo zathathwa ngabathathi nxaxheba abangama-326 nabathi
baphendula uluhlu lwemibuzo. Ukuloba/ukurhwebesha abathathi nxaxheba kwenziwa
ngokucela uncedo kumashishini nezikolo eziseMooi River. Abathathi nxaxheba baveza ukuba
abanalwazi kakuhle ngeemveliso zokutya zeGM, kodwa banalo ufifana. Iziphumo zadiza
ukuba azange baphande ulwazi olumalunga nonyango lweemveliso kwaye babekholelwa
ukuba iingcali zenzululwazi zizo ezaziyimithombo yolwazi ethembekileyo malunga nalo
mbandela. Ngokuthe gabalala, abathathi nxaxheba babengaziboni ziluncedo kwisondlo
okanye kuqoqosho ezi mveliso zokutya zeGM, kwaye babelindele ukuba ezi mveliso zandise
ukutya okuveliswayo ngokukhuthaza ezoqoqosho ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe
bezendalo, (ibiotechnology). Babecinga ukuba uphawu oluluncedo lokutya okuveliswe
ngeendlela zeGM kukuba kuhlala ixesha elide, akonakali msinya. Abathathi nxaxheba
babesoyika ukuba bangasifumana lula isifo somhlaza, bangafumana ukutyhefeka kokutya,
ukusoleka (iallergy), ukuchaphazeleka kokusebenza kwezintso, ubuthathaka bamajoni
omzimba, okanye ubuthathaka benzala emva kokutya iimveliso zokutya zeGM. Abazange
babonakalise uloyiko olumandla malunga nombandela weenqobo zesimilo ezayanyaniswa
neemveliso zokutya zeGM, ngaphandle kokuba ezi mveliso ziveliswa ngendlela engenasimilo
sisulungekileyo. Kwakhona, abazange babonakalise loyiko malunga nokutya iimveliso
zokutya zeGM, bengazange bakrokrele ukungakhuseleki kwezi mveliso okanye ukuba yingozi
kwazo kwezinye izidalwa. Abathathi nxaxheba baxela ukuba izigqibo zabo zokuthenga
iimveliso zokutya zeGM zingaphenjelelwa kukucinga ngokwanda kokutya okuveliswayo,
ukuvela komhlaza emva kokuzitya, ukusolwa, ukucutha ukusebenzisa izibulali zinambuzane
kunye neziphumo ezinobungozi kwindalo esingqongileyo. Imiqobo jikelele engqamene
nonyango lweGM neyaphembelela izigqibo zabathathi nxaxheba malunga nokuthenga
iimveliso zokutya zeGM ziquka ukwazi kancinci ngeemveliso zokutya zeGM, kukungabi
namdla kwiimveliso zokutya zeGM nokuba ubani angabi nalwazi lokuba imveliso ethile inalo
na unyango lweGM okanye ayinalo.
Lolu cwaningo olugxile kwinani luye lwaphenya ulwazi olumayelana nolwazi lwengqubo,
umqondo omayelana nenhlobo yokudla okuguquliwe (GM food) kanye nezinto ezinomthelela
phezu kwesinqumo sokuthenga sabaphenduli bemibuzo abanga-326, lokhu kwenziwe
ngokusebenzisa umbhalo oqukethe imibuzo. Abaphenduli bemibuzo batholwe ngokunxenxa
amabhizinisi kanye nezikole ezihlukahlukene endaweni yaseMooi River. Abaphenduli
bemibuzo bakhombisile ukuthi babenganalwazi ngemikhiqizo yokudla eguquliwe (GM), kanti
laba baphenduli abazange bakhombise ukungabambisani nalolu cwaningo. Imiphumela
iyakhombisa ukuthi abaphenduli abazange bafune ukuthola noma yiluphi ulwazi olumayelana
Nokudla kwe-GM kwimithombo eyahlukahlukene kanti baye bakholwa ukuthi ososayensi
bayimithombo yolwazi ethembekayo. Empeleni, abaphenduli abazange baqonde imikhiqizo
yokudla kwe-GM njengokudla okunenzuzo yomsoco noma inzuzo yezomnotho kanti
bebelidele le mikhiqizo ukuba yongeze inani lokudla elithunyelwayo ngokuxhasa umnotho
ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lwe--biotechnology. Bakholelwa ekutheni umkhiqizo uhlale isikhathi
eside emasheluvini, lokho okuyinzuzo kwikhwalithi yemikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM.
Abaphenduli baye besaba ukungenwa yisifo somdlavuza, ushevu, ukuguliswa yinhlobo
yokudla okuthile, ukushintshana kokusebenza kwezinso, ukungasebenzi kahle kwamasosha
omzimba kanti ikakhulu izinkinga zokwehluleka ukuzala ngemuva kokudla imikhiqizo yokudla
kwe-GM. Abaphenduli abazange bakhombise ukwesaba mayelana nokuziphatha
kwimikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, ngaphandle kokuthi nje le mikhiqizo ikhiqizwa ngendlela
ephambene nomthetho. Abaphenduli abazange futhi bakhombise ukwesaba mayelana
nodaba lokudliwa komkhiqizo wokudla kwe-GM,kuxutshwa phakathi ukuthandabuza
mayelana nokuphepha kwale mikhiqizo kanye nalokho okungahle kuphazamise izinto
eziphilayo. Abaphenduli baye bakhombisa ukuthi imizamo yokuthi kube nokudla okuningi
ngokukhiqiza imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, amathuba wokuphathwa yisifo somdlavuza
ngemuva kokudla lokho kudla, ukungathandwa wukudla okuthize, ukunciphiswa kwezinga
lokusebenziswa kwezibulalizinambuzane kanye nomphumela oyingozi phezu kwemvelo
bekuyizinto ezihlobene nokudla kwe-GM lokho okuzoshintsha indlea yabo yokuthenga
imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM. Izihibhe ezejwayelekile ezihlobene ne-GM eziye zashintsha
isinqumo sabaphenduli sokuthenga imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM bekuxuba phakathi
ukuphuma bayofuna ikakhulu imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, luncane kakhulu ulwazi abanalo
ngemikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM, kuxuba ukungathandi imikhiqizo yokudla kwe-GM kanye
nokungazi ukuba ngabe umkhiqizo wequkethe umkhakha we-GM noma akunjalo.
