Of the 603 people questioned, only 13% said they would be willing to eat insect snacks regularly, and many expected them to look and taste bad.
Tuesday 14 May 2024 00:36, United Kingdom
For insect-based foods to become mainstream, the “disgust factor” needs to be overcome, according to research.
Insects can be rich in protein, and making them more accessible could reduce large greenhouse gas emissions from cattle farming.
There are also potential benefits in combating obesity, and researchers say the idea of farming insects is gaining more traction.
It is estimated that hundreds of millions of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America already eat insects to some extent.
There is an expectation that Western attitudes may change over time, perhaps in the same way that foods such as sushi have become mainstream.
“Insects can be a rich source of protein and micronutrients and could be a solution to the double burden of obesity and undernutrition,” said lead researcher from Edge Hill University, Lancashire. said Dr. Lauren McGail.
“Some insect proteins, such as ground crickets and freeze-dried mealworms, are cheaper and easier to raise than traditional livestock, often contain less fat, and have a lower environmental impact.”
However, most people still feel very resistant to it due to preconceptions about taste and appearance.
However, the study also found that grinding it into a powder significantly increases the chance of it being attacked by insects.
Image: Fried insects at a market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: iStock
“In other parts of the world, this has been successfully done with rice products fortified with cricket or locust flour,” said co-author Dr Maxine Sharps of De Montfort University.
Just 13% of the 603 people questioned in the UK study said they regularly ate insects.
About 47% said they don't eat it regularly, and 40% were unsure.
More than 82% of people expected insect food to be crunchy, 64.6% expected it to be salty, and 62.4% expected it to be bitter.
Only 24% expected they would like the taste, and only 14.1% believed insect food looked delicious.
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Younger people also seemed to be more squeamish, with each age group being 2% more likely to say “no” to an idea.
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“Disgust is one of the most important challenges to overcome,” Dr. Sharps says.
“Ultimately, given climate change and projected global population growth, we may ultimately have no choice.”
The findings will be presented this week at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice.