How can the unnaturalness of cellular agricultural products be familiarized?: Modeling public attitudes toward cultured meats in Japan

Hibino, Aiko; Nakamura, Futoshi; Furuhashi, Mai; Takeuchi, Shoji

doi:10.3389/fsufs.2023.1129868

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…This may explain why the receptiveness to cultured meat is more positive among people in urban areas than in rural areas, as indicated by the Irish survey (Shaw and Iomaire, 2019). A survey of Japanese public shows that some consumers view meat as merely a commercial commodity for consumption, while others perceive meat as connected to animals in dynamic ecosystems (Hibino et al, 2023). These findings imply that the whole-parts framework still retains a hold in modern society, at least among some consumers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural construction of cellular agriculture food: through the lens of the whole-parts framework for meat

Hibino,

Minari,

Takahashi

et al. 2024

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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This essay presents a critical perspective on the nature of what is referred to as “cultured meat” in the public sphere by revisiting the concept of meat in cultural practice. We propose a perspective that focuses on and further investigates whether cultured meat is meat, examining the interaction between the emergence of cellular agriculture technologies and cultural practices. First, we review the production processes of cellular agriculture for meat, comparing this to the processes used to produce conventional meat. Second, we discuss how meat has been embedded in cultural practices, focusing on meat-related activities, and propose that a whole-parts relationship is critical for constructing the meaning of meat in cultural contexts. Third, several key issues raised in the social debate on cultured meat are addressed within the whole-parts framework. Cultured meat requires a complete bottom-up process in producing objects, indicating that the concept of cultured meat is not necessarily aligned with the concept of existing meat, as previously suggested from the perspective of producing conventional meat. In this perspective, we proceed to further investigation the meaning of meat in cultural constructions, wherein the relationship between the whole body and meat as a part of it is important. Thus, cultured meat can be considered a nonmeat under the whole-parts framework for meat. This insight can provisionally and speculatively update some of the ethical, legal, and social issues of cultured meat as well as products based on cellular agriculture technologies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural construction of cellular agriculture food: through the lens of the whole-parts framework for meat

Hibino,

Minari,

Takahashi

et al. 2024

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…To gain a deeper understanding of the public's expectations and concerns, it is crucial to examine how the concept of 'naturalness' affects consumer perceptions and, in turn, their acceptance of these technologies. This is particularly relevant as the concept of naturalness evokes almost exclusively positive emotions, while perceived unnaturalness is a key factor in resistance to emerging agricultural products (Hibino et al 2023). This dichotomy between natural and unnatural has significant implications for the societal integration of gene editing technologies in agricultural and food production.…”

Section: Naturalnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the landscape of public attitudes towards gene-edited foods in Japan

Yamaguchi,

Ezaki,

Ito

2024

Breed. Sci.

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The success or failure of food technologies in society depends to a large extent on the public interest, concerns, images, and expectations surrounding them. This paper delves into the landscape of public attitudes towards gene-edited foods in Japan, exploring the reasons behind the acceptance or rejection of these products. A literature review and preliminary findings from a survey conducted in Japan in 2022, aim to identify key issues crucial for evaluating societal acceptance of gene-edited foods. The study showed that the public view gene-edited foods as somewhat unnatural, but upon closer examination, significant variation in attitudes was observed among respondents. Some respondents expressed a favorable perception towards gene-edited foods, particularly those that benefit consumers, while others expressed concerns about its perceived artificiality. Moreover, a significant number of respondents displayed indifference or lack of clear perspective regarding gene-edited foods. These findings reflect the complex relationship between public attitudes, naturalness, and social acceptance of gene-edited foods. Furthermore, the study indicates the importance of paying close attention to those who refrain from expressing their viewpoints in the survey. This nuanced landscape warrants further exploration.

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“…Limited research has been conducted regarding the social acceptability of meat substitutes among consumers in Japan. In a survey that asked consumers about their willingness to eat cultured meat, the influence of Japanese cultural values is indicated by citing unnaturalness as the most important factor in social acceptability [28]. Due to the fact that meat consumption is deeply ingrained in society, with strong ties to religion, history, culture, etc., the social acceptability of meat substitutes and their importance to food culture and food must be thoroughly examined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of Food Culture and Practice on the Acceptance of Alternative Meat

Fujiwara,

Tachikawa

2024

Sustainability

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To investigate the influence of food culture on the acceptability of meat substitutes, in 2023 we conducted a questionnaire survey on men and women aged 18–69 years (N = 1681) in Japan, a country with a food culture that regards soya as a meat substitute, focusing on ‘meaning’ in the theory of practice. Analysis of three groups—a flexible group who accept foods processed from soya as meat, a strict group who do not accept such foods as meat, and an intermediate group—showed that the flexible group tended to be more positive about the consumption of meat substitutes than the other groups. However, the flexible group was not simply more accepting, as they expressed aversion and anxiety in response to other questions. Food culture, i.e., what is understood to be meat, influences the acceptability of alternative meats. When examining the social acceptability of meat alternatives in the future, it is also important to look at social practices and historical and cultural backgrounds in a multilayered way, in addition to factors that have been emphasized in previous studies, such as consumers’ decision-making process.

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How can the unnaturalness of cellular agricultural products be familiarized?: Modeling public attitudes toward cultured meats in Japan

Cited by 5 publications

References 50 publications

The cultural construction of cellular agriculture food: through the lens of the whole-parts framework for meat

The cultural construction of cellular agriculture food: through the lens of the whole-parts framework for meat

Exploring the landscape of public attitudes towards gene-edited foods in Japan

Implications of Food Culture and Practice on the Acceptance of Alternative Meat

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