Analyzing Twitter Conversation on Genome-Edited Foods and Their Labeling in Japan

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biotechnology
• Social Media Analysis

Background:

• Genome editing technology is rapidly advancing, with commercial applications like genome-edited soybean emerging.
• Public concern exists regarding the safety of high-tech foods, including genetically modified and genome-edited options.
• Social media platforms like Twitter offer real-time insights into public opinion and concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To collect and analyze Twitter data to understand public concerns and expectations regarding genome-edited foods and their labeling.
• To assess the real-time public interest and sentiment towards genome-edited food technologies.
• To inform communication strategies for the social implementation of genome-edited foods.

Main Methods:

• Collected and analyzed 28,722 tweets related to genome-edited foods and labeling from May 25 to October 15, 2019.
• Utilized co-occurrence network analysis to identify prominent themes and sentiment in user discussions.
• Performed sentiment analysis on tweets to quantify public opinion towards genome-edited foods and labeling policies.

Main Results:

• The majority of users (64.8%) posted only one tweet, indicating a broad but not intensely engaged user base.
• Tweet volume correlated with government announcements and media coverage, demonstrating Twitter's utility for real-time monitoring.
• Sentiment analysis revealed that 54.5% to 62.8% of tweets were negative, indicating a strong public demand for mandatory labeling.

Conclusions:

• Twitter serves as a valuable tool for monitoring public interest and sentiment towards emerging food technologies in real time.
• A significant portion of the public expresses negative sentiment and a demand for mandatory labeling of genome-edited foods.
• Findings can guide government officials and science communicators in developing effective communication strategies for genome-edited food acceptance.