Entomophagy; Novel food; Western consumers; Tasting session; Teenagers; Children
Abstract :
[en] Purpose: Edible insects are considered as a novel food in Western countries, with their introduction to cuisine having to overcome major barriers, such as disgust. The studies related to acceptance of entomophagy have exponentially grown since 2015. However, such studies generally focus on people older than 18 years old. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of youngsters towards edible insects.
Study design/methodology/approach: A survey associated with an optional tasting session was conducted to record opinion of 151 youngsters in Belgium (9 to 17 years old).
Findings: Many respondents are acquainted with entomophagy, and had already eaten insect based-food. Most youngsters associated insects as snacks and salty foods, and they agreed to consume processed insects (falafel) during the tasting session. Tasters had to evaluate the falafel, and higher ratings were recorded in male respondents, as highlighted in studies including adults. More negative evaluations would be expected among older respondents if unprocessed insects were served, as they were more willing to consume processed insects than entire insects. Finally, attitudes towards entomophagy evolved positively after the tasting session. Such events are consequently recommended to promote entomophagy across Western youngsters.
Originality/value: Few studies explored the attitude of Western youngsters towards entomophagy. This paper aims to fill this gap by focusing on this young component of the Belgian population.
Disciplines :
Entomology & pest control Food science
Author, co-author :
Detilleux, Loïc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Modélisation et développement
Wittock, Gabrielle; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB > Faculté des Sciences psychologiques et de l'Éducation
Dogot, Thomas ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Modélisation et développement
Francis, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion durable des bio-agresseurs
Caparros Megido, Rudy ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion durable des bio-agresseurs
Language :
English
Title :
Edible insects, what about the perceptions of Belgian youngsters?
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