Insights into children's acceptance of edible insects

Insights into children's acceptance of edible insects

A recent study on the acceptability of insect foods, published in Food and quality preference found that certain types of insect products were more popular among Danish children.

Lernen: Akzeptanz von Insektennahrung bei dänischen Kindern: Auswirkungen der Bereitstellung von Informationen, Nahrungsneophobie, Ekelempfindlichkeit und Arten auf die Bereitschaft, es zu versuchen. Bildnachweis: Charoen Krung Photography/Shutterstock

background

The increasing demand for animal protein has shifted the focus to alternative protein sources besides conventional animal meat. Insects have been used as a food source since ancient times. Edible insects are good sources of protein and serve as an alternative to traditional meat. Disgust and neophobia are considered the main barriers to the introduction of newer foods.

Factors influencing insect food acceptance include willingness to eat, food neophobia, disgust, sensitivity, past exposure, sensory properties of the food, and presentation of insect-based products. Food disgust may be related to pathogen avoidance traits, culture specific, or arbitrary. Perceived cultural inedibility is also a resilient barrier to acceptance of novel foods.

The majority of insects are considered inedible. Nevertheless, the growing debate about the unsustainability of traditional protein sources may provide scope for introducing insect-based foods into the Western diet. Benefits include environmental protection and sustainability.

The study

This study was conducted on children and examined the effects of teaching three types of information: taste, health and sustainability benefits of insect-based foods on willingness to eat insect-based foods.

The study also aimed to determine the relationship between food neophobia, disgust and insect species characteristics on insect food acceptance and to determine which insect-based food types were most desirable. The study included 181 students aged 9 to 13 from Danish schools.

It involved sending an online survey and lecture for students to teachers in advance. The survey consisted of three parts - a pre-exposure questionnaire, during exposure questionnaire and a post-exposure questionnaire.

Results

Of the 181 questionnaires submitted, 26 were disqualified. The participating students came from six Danish schools. Of the participants, 62 were introduced to the taste of the new foods, 71 were informed about the health benefits and 48 underwent the sustainability intervention.

All but two participants were aware of insect-based foods; 49.7% had even tasted insects. The majority showed moderate interest in trying insect-based foods before and after the intervention. Both groups included boys and girls in identical proportions.

Effect of the interventions

Most participants expressed concern about the use of crickets in food. In the case of buffalo worms, the intervention groups showed differences in terms of rearing as livestock. While the majority were either neutral (bordering on negative) about the use of buffalo worms in food.

Overall, the sustainability intervention appeared to achieve the highest scores for portraying buffalo worms as acceptable for livestock, while the health intervention achieved the lowest scores. However, the taste intervention did not lead to any significant disagreement. Additionally, mealworm was rated higher on both measures.

Effect of neophobia

According to the Food Neophobia Test Tool (FNTT), boys have been found to be more neophiliac compared to girls. FNTT did not appear to vary between populations or intervention groups; vis, children from different schools or classes. However, there was a strong negative correlation of FNTT scores with WTT before and after the intervention.

Effect of disgust sensitivity

The participants' Food Disgust Scale (FDS) showed that participants had higher disgust sensitivity. The FDS did not differ by gender nor were there differences between the intervention groups. Furthermore, FDS was not correlated with KTT.

The correlation of FDS with FNTT was insignificant. The image of the whole cricket received a lower hedonic rating than that of the buffalo worm. Cookies received an over-neutral hedonic rating, while protein bars, crispbread, burgers and chips made from cricket flour did not. Falafel received the lowest rating, and whole crickets received the second lowest rating.

In particular, 43 children were classified as neophiliac; 89 were found to be neutral and 47 were diagnosed as neophobic. The neophobic category had a significant impact on hedonic response, which had lower hedonic ratings than the neophilic segment.

Participants' perceived suitability of insects as food ingredients - insects in cookies - received higher ratings, followed by chips and burgers containing insects. These three categories were rated above neutral in terms of suitability as food. On the other hand, protein bars, falafel, crispbreads and chocolate bars with insect ingredients were rated below neutral, with falafel receiving the lowest rating.

Conclusion

The results provided consumer insights about edible insects among children. On average, Danish children had no concerns about trying insect-based foods. Additionally, raising children's awareness of the benefits of insect-based foods could increase their willingness to try them.

Reference:

• Erhard, A. et al. (2022) „Akzeptanz von Insektennahrung bei dänischen Kindern: Auswirkungen der Bereitstellung von Informationen, Nahrungsneophobie, Ekelempfindlichkeit und Arten auf die Bereitschaft, es zu versuchen“, Lebensmittelqualität und -präferenz, p. 104713. doi: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104713. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329322001884

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