AT UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA ON MAY 22 SANT’ANNA SCHOOL LIFE SCIENCES INSTITUTE RESEARCHER GAVE A TALK ON “GM FOODS - OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT. MISINFORMATION AND PSEUDOSCIENCE RAISE UNFOUNDED CONCERNS”
The Game of Fears conference organized by Roberto Tuberosa, professor of agricultural genetics, and Dario Braga, professor of chemistry, at Bologna University on May 22 explored topics ranging from misinformation and mistrust among the public and the pseudoscience propaganda.
Genetic engineering in agriculture is a sector that holds great interest worldwide. Because of the lack of scientifically accurate media coverage, public awareness of GMO technology is low and the biggest myth surrounding genetic modified organisms (GMO) is that they are unsafe. People fear GMOs because of these beliefs and because they do not trust researchers who found that GM food and feed are not only safe but also nutritionally equivalent to non-GM foods.
While reports from researchers and academies of sciences found there is scientific consensus that GM foods are safe, many Italians believe there is scientific disagreement on the safety of GM foods and crops.
Key speakers include Anna Meldolesi (joiurnalist, Corriere della Sera); Mario Pezzotti (professor of agricultural genetics and the president of Società Italiana di Genetica Agraria), Laura Ercoli (professor of agronomy and field crops at Sant’Anna School), Elena Sgaravatti (CEO of Demethra Biotech), Elena Baraldi (professor of plant pathology, DISTAL, University of Bologna); Sabrina Carreras (journalist, “PresaDiretta” – Rai 3).
Cover photo: Laura Ercoli
