Abstract
In Western countries, one of the main barriers to entomophagy is repulsion toward insects. Few studies have investigated the factors that influence attitudes toward entomophagy. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 248 university students, focusing on disgust and other potential attributes that can influence insect consumption, including health literacy. We used a 17-item self-administered questionnaire. Consistent with the literature, two items were chosen as outcome variables to evaluate the predictors of the propensity to consume insects: “Have you ever eaten insects or insect-based products?” and “How disgusting do you find eating insects?” The data analysis shows that having already eaten insects is inversely associated with the level of disgust (OR: 0.1, p < 0.01); and it is positively associated with higher levels of health literacy (OR: 3.66, p > 0.01). Additionally, having some knowledge and information about entomophagy is inversely associated with a higher level of disgust (OR: 0.44, p = 0.03 and OR: 0.25, p = 0.03, respectively), while being female is positively associated with disgust (OR: 3.26, p < 0.01). Our results suggest the potential role of health literacy, in addition to other factors, in influencing the willingness to taste insects. However, further studies involving larger and non-convenience samples are needed to confirm our hypothesis.
Highlights
IntroductionThe world population continues to grow exponentially (in 2050, the Earth will probably be home to 9 billion people), and current food resources, especially in terms of protein intake, will not be sufficient to sustain global requirements [1]
The world population continues to grow exponentially, and current food resources, especially in terms of protein intake, will not be sufficient to sustain global requirements [1]
Further studies are necessary to confirm the role of health literacy (HL) in influencing the propensity to eat insects or insect-based product, as suggested by our results
Summary
The world population continues to grow exponentially (in 2050, the Earth will probably be home to 9 billion people), and current food resources, especially in terms of protein intake, will not be sufficient to sustain global requirements [1]. Insects stand out as possible alternatives, and in 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations published a dedicated report named “Edible Insects” [3]. This report shows that insects can be a good source of fat, protein, vitamins, fibers, and minerals. The literature provides evidences related to potential risks in the consumption of edible insects [4], which are mainly related to microbial contamination, accumulation and production of chemical contaminants such as toxins and heavy metals, and allergenicity through inhalation or food ingestion by workers and consumers [5,6]. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stated that the microbiological risks linked to the consumption of insects could be similar to the ones associated with other
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