Information and taste interventions for improving consumer acceptance of edible insects: a pilot study
Emily K. Woolf, Cassandra Maya, Jungwoo Yoon, Shruti P. Shertukde, Trevor Toia, Jing Zhao, Yijin Zhu, Paula C. Peter, Changqi Liu
Abstract
Insects are a sustainable protein source with poor consumer acceptance in developed countries. An Eating Insects Conference and Tasting Demonstration was hosted with a goal of promoting consumption of edible insects. The event consisted of an educational session that provided information about entomophagy followed by a cooking and tasting demonstration of edible insects. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted to assess the effect of the event on participants’ acceptance of entomophagy. Forty-three attendees completed the surveys. After attending the event, participants felt more knowledgeable about entomophagy, which positively correlated with willingness to consume edible insects. Participants who believed that entomophagy is sustainable were more willing to consume edible insects than those who did not. Although all participants consumed insects at the tasting demonstration, those with prior consumption experiences had significantly higher post-intervention willingness scores, indicating repeated exposures may be necessary for improving consumer acceptance of edible insects. The event raised awareness of using insects as food and provided useful information for developing effective interventions to promote insect consumption.