Conceptual framework for ex-ante evaluation at the micro/macro level of GM crops with health benefits

•Scientifically underpinned framework to evaluate GM crops with health benefits.•Review topics: acceptance, willingness-to-pay, health impacts & cost-effectiveness.•We present the state-of-the-art on the main methods and evidence for each topic.•Application: Review of eight socio-economic studies on Folate Biofortified Rice.•This GM rice crop has a large market demand and would be highly cost-effective.

Socio-economic research plays an important role to successfully introduce novel, controversial goods, such as GM food. This review presents a conceptual framework to explore the market potential of GM food with health benefits at both micro and macro level. While the former examines consumer acceptance and willingness-to-pay, the latter assesses the health impacts and cost-effectiveness. Thereby, underlying theories, methods and empirical research underpinning each line of inquiry are reviewed. By compiling results from eight socio-economic studies, Folate Biofortified Rice is taken as a case to illustrate how the framework contributes to assess its market demand as well as cost-effectiveness.