[G_Wen]

I think you are underestimating the power of public opinion. Nuclear power was a contender to replace coal and fossil fuel until the Three Mile Island accident. Since then there have been no new nuclear power plants constructed in America. The average age of nuclear plant operators in America is around 60. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/RDS2-26_web.pd...

While GM foods are very far from the reputation nuclear power in America has the framework is set so one public scare will deter people from trusting GM foods for a very long time. Almost all grocery stores now carry 'organic' foods that are aggressively marketed.

For people to adopt GM foods they have to be introduced slowly. Take a look at Butter and Margarine: http://www.margarine.org/historyofmargarine.html "1902 - Amendments to the Federal Margarine Act raised the tax on colored margarine five-fold, but decreased licensing fees for white margarine. But demand for colored margarine remained so strong, that bootleg colored margarine flourished."

So yes while arguing about which replacement is best will delay the process ultimately public opinion will determine the fate of GM bananas.