Insect-Based Foods: A Preliminary Qualitative Study Exploring Factors Affecting Acceptance and New Product Development Ideas through Focus Groups

Leocardia Ranga, Francesco Noci and Maria Dermiki ()
Additional contact information
Leocardia Ranga: Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland
Francesco Noci: Department of Sports, Exercise and Nutrition, School of Science and Computing, Atlantic Technological University, H91 T8NW Galway City, Ireland
Maria Dermiki: Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Science, Atlantic Technological University, F91 YW50 Sligo, Ireland

Challenges, 2024, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: While insect-based foods could contribute towards sustainable protein consumption and production, their successful adoption relies largely on consumer acceptance. This case study aims to explore factors affecting acceptance and to identify the insect-based foods that participants would like to be developed and introduced to the market. Three focus groups incorporating optional tasting sessions of insect-based foods were conducted in Ireland, a country where these foods were unavailable at the time of the study. Findings showed that before the tasting sessions, public opinion, portion size comparisons (insects vs. meat), and witnessing entomophagy-related disturbing experiences through television were some of the factors that negatively influenced acceptance. Lack of availability in Ireland was the main factor that hindered consumption among participants willing to consume these foods. Participants’ usual food choice motives, sensory attributes, and inclusion percentages of insects in food were some factors which affected acceptance following the tasting sessions. A variety of insect-based foods was suggested for product development, which were mostly components of a main meal. The findings of this study could give an initial indication of product ideas that could be explored further for product development in regions where insect-based foods are not readily available on the market. These findings could contribute to future studies that would aim to build quantitative tools.

Keywords: entomophagy; alternative protein; sustainable consumption; product development; food choice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A00 C00 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/15/4/40/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/15/4/40/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jchals:v:15:y:2024:i:4:p:40-:d:1493629

Access Statistics for this article

Challenges is currently edited by Ms. Karen Sun

More articles in Challenges from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().