Unpacking trust in gene editing
The role of food system actors in shaping consumer perceptions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24019277 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katie Henderson (0000-0002-2103-8687, University of Auckland, corresponding author), Densie Conroy (Mt Albert Primary School), Joya Kemper (University of Canterbury), Bodo Lang (0000-0002-6780-9651, Massey University), Catherine Frethey-Bentham (University of Auckland), Catherine Frethey‐Bentham (0000-0003-1883-4460, University of Auckland) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-22 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Food Culture & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1552-8014 • E-ISSN: 1751-7443 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15528014.2026.2711556 |
| OpenAlex | W7172272595 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 51 |
New food technologies, like gene editing, rely on and pose challenges to consumer trust. Despite growing calls to better understand trust in gene‐edited foods (GEFs), there has been insufficient research on how trust in food system actors is formed. This study addresses this gap by examining different types of trust in trust formation toward actors involved in gene‐editing technologies (GETs) and the socio-cultural conditions that shape these perceptions. This research utilizes insights from nine focus groups with consumers and uses the theory of social trust as a framework. The findings indicate that consumers rely on specific “trust heuristics” to form trust judgments, and the visibility of food system actors is important for building trust. Further, consumers make simultaneous trust judgments, considering organizational representatives, institutional actors, and the entire food chain. We provide recommendations to inform policy, improve business practices, and build consumer trust.
Focus (optics) · Focus group · Food systems · Perception · Unpacking · Visibility · CRISPR and Genetic Engineering · Genetically Modified Organisms Research · Organic Food and Agriculture
Trust in Food
Who Does the Public Trust? The Case of Genetically Modified Food in the United States
Trust and Risk Perception
Consumer acceptance of novel food technologies
Not So Different After All
An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust
When words fail us
Breeding by intervening
Trust as a Social Reality
Trust, trustworthiness, and relationships
Profits Before Health? New Zealand Government Rejection of Stricter Infant Formula Marketing Standards and the Lobbying Behind It
Deliberative Discussion Focus Groups
Exploring diverse food system actor perspectives on gene editing
I can’t get past the fact that it is printed”
Smart food
The “Revolving Door” between Regulatory Agencies and Industry
From Bio to Nano
Creating Public Alienation
Genome-edited versus genetically-modified tomatoes
With great power comes great responsibility
Improving the agri-food biotechnology conversation
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Environmental protest in New Zealand (1997-2010)
Gene Editing in Agriculture
Governing Agricultural Biotechnologies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany
Public Perceptions of Risks and Benefits of Gene-edited Food Crops
Trust as a Process
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |