Level Of Food Neophobia Research Articles

The negative association between food neophobia and sensory expectations revealed through analysis of consumers’ open-ended descriptions of seafood

Food neophobia (FN) – the reluctance to try novel foods – may have served a protective, evolutionary function against consuming harmful foods. In modern societies, however, FN is a major barrier that limits dietary variety and negatively impacts acceptance of both new and familiar foods. Using an online survey (adults living in Sweden, n = 946) this study investigated the influence of FN on sensory expectations of five types of seafood (salmon, herring, oysters, octopus, and seaweed; presented as labelled images). Participants rated expected liking, emotional arousal, and perceived familiarity (quantitative scales) and described the sensory aspects they expected to like and dislike using their own words (open-ended responses). The open-ended responses were evaluated qualitatively and categorized into four sensory modalities (appearance, aroma, taste, and texture). Expected liking was highest for salmon (followed by herring, seaweed, and lastly octopus and oysters), and FN was negatively associated with expected liking for all species except salmon, possibly due to being familiar and regularly consumed in Sweden. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether the likelihood of spontaneously mentioning each sensory modality as liked or disliked varied by species and FN score. This revealed that participants were more likely to mention liking aspects of taste and texture than aroma and appearance for all samples except oysters. Texture was commonly disliked for herring, oysters, and octopus, but not for salmon and seaweed. Higher FN scores increased the likelihood of mentioning all sensory modalities as disliked and decreased the likelihood of mentioning all sensory modalities as liked. Thus, higher levels of FN were associated with both an increased focus on sensory disliking, and lower expected sensory enjoyment across all modalities. These results suggest that FN may be at least partly driven by heightened sensory responsiveness and highlight the importance of understanding expectations prior to tasting.

The Recipe of Cultural Intelligence and Racial Diversity in Predicting Food Neophobia: A Stepwise Regression Analysis Approach

This study explored how the cultural intelligence (CQ) and the racial/ethnic experiences of 172 undergraduate students from a Northwestern United States university influenced their levels of food neophobia. Two instruments, the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CSQ) and the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), were used to collect observations from the sample population (Ang & Dyne, 2008; Pliner & Hobden, 1992). Demographic questions and those related to the racial/ethnic background of participants were also incorporated into the survey. The stepwise regression analysis revealed significant relationships between cultural intelligence, having more than one or multiple ethnic/racial backgrounds or experiences, and food neophobia scores. Findings suggested greater cultural intelligence and more exposure to ethnic/racial backgrounds or experiences are related to lower levels of food neophobia. These results underscore the importance of cultural competence and inclusivity in higher education to promote culinary diversity and minimize food neophobia. Colleges and universities must take note of these important dining findings, which are vital to enrollment and retention strategies and the well-being of their students.

Plant-based fish analogues vs. fish: Assessment of consumer perception, acceptance, and attitudes

Plant-based fish is developed to mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of fish. Despite being the fastest-growing segment in plant-based analogues sales, it remains a niche product due to several hindrances, including sensory and nutritional issues. This study assessed consumer perception, attitudes and acceptance drivers of plant-based canned tuna involving 165 consumers who evaluated for liking and described through the Check-All-That-Apply method five plant-based and three animal-based samples. Consumers’ food neophobia level, food related lifestyles and food frequency consumption of a series of plant-based and animal-based products were investigated as potential explanatory variables in drivers of acceptance. Generalised linear models showed that plant-based samples scored very low (<40 VAS score), while animal-based products were well accepted (63.6 – 75.2). Principal Coordinate Analysis revealed that pink colour, tuna/fish flavour, and dryness characterised tuna samples and contributed positively to liking, while unappealing appearance, off-flavour, legume/vegetable flavour, bitterness, gelatinous and gumminess, characterised plant-based samples and contributed negatively to liking. Agglomerative hierarchical analysis identified two consumer clusters differing in liking for plant-based fish analogues. One cluster (27 % of consumers) showed significantly higher liking scores for all plant-based samples, a higher consumption of plant-based analogues and seemed more careful when buying food, both regarding its nutritional composition and its naturalness than the other cluster. This study suggests that the exploitation of plant-based ingredients (textured soy, pea and wheat proteins) affect all sensory dimensions of plant-based canned tuna and highlights the importance of sensory optimisation in the development of plant-based alternatives to meet consumer preferences.

Educational Actions at School: Proposal to Increase Children’s Contact with Vegetables

The objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of educational actions in the school environment on the level of food neophobia, knowledge, consumption, acceptance, frequency of intake, planting of vegetables and assistance in cooking preparations among children. In addition, to verify the impact of actions on the sensory acceptance of food products added with vegetables with low acceptability by this public. Eighty-six children aged 7 to 10 years participated. The research was organized in three stages: pre-intervention, with filling out questionnaires and sensory analysis of the products; intervention, with application of educational actions and; post-intervention, with reapplication of questionnaires and sensory analysis of products. Actions included the implementation of vegetable gardens, theoretical-practical activities and cooking workshops. The physicochemical composition of the products was carried out to ensure food safety. Educational actions reduced the degree of food neophobia and improved the acceptability of food products by children (p &amp;lt; 0.05). In general, the educational actions had a positive impact (p &amp;lt; 0.05) on the participants&amp;rsquo; knowledge, consumption, acceptance and frequency of vegetables intake However, there was little influence to increase the planting of vegetables at home, with no change in helping children with cooking preparations (p &amp;gt; 0.05). The food products presented a good nutritional profile. It is concluded that educational actions carried out at school are efficient to reduce food neophobia and increase knowledge, consumption, acceptance and frequency of intake among children. Also, they improve the acceptability of food products with the addition of vegetables with low acceptance by this public.

Acceptance of Muffins (Sweet and Savory) with the Addition of T. molitor, A. diaperinus, A. domesticus, R. differens, Considering Psychological Factors (Food Neophobia Scale, Consumer Attitude).

The aim of the study was to analyze the acceptance of muffins containing a 15% addition of powder from four edible insect species (Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, Ruspolia differens) in both savory and sweet versions, focusing on the psychological factors influencing their consumption. The study involved 106 adult consumers. Initially, the level of food neophobia (FNS) among participants was determined. Over 80% displayed low to medium levels of neophobia. Similar results were obtained when assessing attitudes towards insects, with most participants showing positive and ambivalent attitudes. Based on these findings, the acceptance of insect-based muffins was evaluated. The level of acceptance of insects varied and depended mainly on taste, smell, and texture. Participants with lower levels of neophobia and positive attitudes towards consuming insects generally rated the insect muffins higher compared to those with higher levels of neophobia and negative attitudes. The sweet versions of insect powder muffins were rated higher, which also indicates preferences and dietary habits. Products with grasshopper powder (GS, GCL) were rated the lowest for both taste versions. Conversely, products based on buffalo worms (BS, BCL) were seen as having the greatest potential for acceptance. Understanding consumer attitudes, neophobia, and levels of acceptance provides valuable insights for designing new insect-based foods.

How do consumers with different food neophobia levels react to health and environmental information? A case study on legume‐based formulations

AbstractThe global environmental changes require the development of new food formulations with sustainable ingredients. In this context, legumes could be used to enrich foods with beneficial consequences both on human health and sustainability of the agri‐food system. The aim was to evaluate the liking of a whole corn‐based formulation including chickpea or red lentil flour with or without providing health and environmental information about legumes. The effect of the conveyed information in subjects with different food neophobia (FN) level as well as the association between FN and different sustainability dimensions were also investigated. A 100% whole‐corn sample and two samples added with 20% of chickpea or red lentil flour were tested by 127 consumers in blind, expected, and real conditions. Subjects completed questionnaires about FN, sustainable behavior, perceived environmental impact of food products, beliefs, and attitudes toward sustainable food. Legume‐based products were equally liked as the control sample indicating that these food ingredients are promising for the enrichment of polenta samples. The information increased consumers' hedonic expectations. However, incomplete assimilation was found for samples with legumes. When the effect of information was assessed as a function of FN level, a complete assimilation for subjects with low (chickpea sample) and medium (red lentil sample) FN score was found, while no significant effect was seen for subjects with high FN score. A significant negative association was found between FN and sustainability commitment.Practical ApplicationThe results of the present study demonstrate that the development of sustainable food formulations using legumes is promising and that conveying health and environmental sustainability information contribute to increase consumer acceptance. However, consumers with high levels of FN were insensitive to information and were also those with low interest in sustainability issues. As a practical application, personalized communication strategies should be developed to reach different consumers targets when specific innovations are launched on the market alongside with industry efforts in developing marketing initiatives raising consumers awareness about health and environmental aspects.

The Impact of Caregiver Pressure to Eat on Food Neophobia in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: With autistic children's high pervasiveness of eating problems and inappropriate feeding behaviors by their caregivers, this study wanted to inspect the connection between caregivers' pressure to eat and food neophobia in these children. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional overview of 160 guardians of kids aged 2 to 7 years. After one-on-one questioning by the researcher, the collected information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the children with autism, caregiver feeding behavior, and new food neophobia (FN) scores was entered into the Questionnaire Star system. (3) Results: The mean FN score was 25.56 ± 6.46. The caregiver's pressure to eat positively related to children's FN (β = 0.164 95% CI, 0.078, 2.163). In these children, we found a negative correlation between FN score and the frequency of vegetable intake (p ≤ 0.001), fruit intake (p ≤ 0.05), aquatic product intake (p ≤ 0.05), and dietary diversity score (p ≤ 0.01), and positively correlated with the frequency of snack intake (p ≤ 0.05). (4) Conclusions: Caregiver pressure to eat was positively associated with high levels of FN in Chinese kids with ASD, which in turn negatively impacted dietary quality. To improve eating habits, caregivers should reconsider their feeding strategies and avoid using forceful methods to ease food neophobia in these children.

Snacks from the sea: a cross-national comparison of consumer acceptance for crackers added with algae

One of the main priorities of current food systems is to develop new and healthy foods to overcome food shortages considering consumer’s expectations. Algae are receiving increasing attention as nutritious and sustainable food, though studies are limited mainly to Arthrospira and Chlorella species and cross-national research is scant. This study aims to investigate European consumers’ liking and perception of crackers added with powders from Arthrospira platensis (green Spirulina), isolated proteins from Arthrospira platensis (blue Spirulina), Palmaria palmata, Saccharina latissima, Lithothamnium calcareum and a control cracker. Belgian, German, Italian, and Swedish participants (n = 413, 18–69 years, 59.8% females) evaluated cracker liking and perceived sensory attributes using the check-all-that-apply (CATA) task. Food neophobia, familiarity towards, and consumption of algae were also collected. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) analyses showed that across all countries, Lithothamnium calcareum, blue Spirulina and the control samples were perceived as similar and were liked more than the other crackers. “Sweet”, “toasted bread”, and “bland” attributes were significant contributors to liking, while “off-flavor”, “fishy flavor”, “umami” and “speckled” contributed negatively. PLSR performed by country provided similar results except for Italians who liked the green Spirulina sample equally as the samples added with Lithothamnium calcareum, blue Spirulina, and the control. These cross-national differences can be ascribed to Italians’ lower food neophobia level. The present results suggest that Lithothamnium calcareum is the most promising algal species to be exploited in food formulations and that the use of isolated proteins from Spirulina (blue Spirulina) significantly reduces off-flavors, consequently improving consumers’ acceptance.

Incorporation of Sea Spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) in Low-Salt Beef Patties: Effect on Sensory Profile and Consumer Hedonic and Emotional Response.

Seaweed is a naturally rich source of nutrients and exhibits techno-functional properties that are under study for their potential as ingredients in meat products. However, seaweed is associated with a particular flavor profile, and optimization of the sensory profile should be conducted alongside technical performance. This study investigated the feasibility of the application of sea spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) in the production of low-salt beef patties and recorded the associated sensory profile and consumer hedonic-emotional response. Eight beef patty formulations with varying salt (0-1%) and seaweed (0-5%) contents were subjected to quantitative descriptive analysis via a trained sensory panel (n = 8) and six the formulations were selected for consumer testing (liking, emotional associations, saltiness perception, and purchase intent) by a group of 105 Irish resident consumers. The trained panel results showed that the intensity of seaweed odor, flavor, and visual presence in burgers was negatively related to the intensity of beef odor and flavor and that seaweed addition (5%) significantly increased the saltiness perception of low-salt burgers. Burgers with 1% added seaweed, although perceived by consumers as less salty, could substitute NaCl in low-salt beef patties without deterioration of their liking among regular burger consumers. Consumers associated all seaweed-containing samples, especially those containing 1% of sea spaghetti, with being good, pleasant, satisfied, and warm. The higher inclusion of sea spaghetti (2.5%) led to significantly lower overall liking and reduced purchase intent, while consumers associated this formulation with emotions such as being more adventurous, aggressive, and wild. Consumers who rejected seaweed burgers had the highest level of food neophobia and avoided foods with additives. The results demonstrate that 1% sea spaghetti seaweed can be successfully incorporated into low-salt beef patties, resulting in hedonic and emotional benefits without significantly increasing the salt content.

The association between food neophobia, bi-dimensional aspects of orthorexia, and anxiety among vegetarians and omnivores

Vegetarianism is a growing trend, and food neophobia and orthorexia nervosa could act as barriers to achieving a healthy vegetarian diet. The aim of this study is to compare the levels of food neophobia, anxiety, and both healthy and pathological aspects of orthorexia among vegetarians and omnivores. Additionally, the study aims to identify the relationships between food neophobia, anxiety, and orthorexia. In this cross-sectional online survey, a total of 324 vegetarian and 455 omnivores adults participated. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related characteristics, the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 Scale. Vegetarians exhibited lower FNS scores (p < 0.001) and had higher healthy orthorexic scores (p < 0.001) than omnivores. There were no differences between groups for anxiety scores (p > 0.05). Regression analysis indicated that higher food neophobia (OR: 0.953, 95% CI:0.937–0.968) and TOS-OrNe scores (OR: 0.946, 95% CI: 0.901–0.993) were associated with lower odds of following a vegetarian diet. Conversely, higher TOS-HeOr scores (OR: 1.135, 95% CI:1.096–1.176) were linked to an increased likelihood of adopting a vegetarian diet. Furthermore, both FNS and GAD-7 scores showed negative correlations with TOS-HeOR (r = −0.124, p < 0.001 and r = −0.129 p < 0.001, respectively), and positive correlations with TOS-OrNe (r = 0.106, p < 0.001 and r = 0.146, p < 0.001). In conclusion, vegetarians exhibit lower levels of food neophobia and a greater interest in healthy eating than omnivores. Additionally, the distinct correlation between two dimensions of orthorexia and food neophobia and anxiety provides support for the two-dimensional nature of orthorexia.

Hedonic rating coupled with sensory profiles using CATA for six whole roasted or deep-fried insects among Danish 11-13-year-old children

The consumption of insects is not rooted in traditional Western culture, which creates a barrier to integrate insects into our diets, especially among preadolescents. This study was executed during a Danish science outreach week to educate children on eating insects through educational activities. 11–13-y.o. children were invited to taste six different types of whole roasted or deep-fried insects (grasshoppers, cricket, bee larvae, wax moth larvae, buffalo worms and mealworms), asked to rate their liking (15-point hedonic scale) and describe the sensory properties for each insect (50 sensory attributes using Check-All-That-Apply format). Food neophobia was assessed using the Food Neophobia Test Tool to explore the link between food neophobia and hedonic responses of insects. Results showed significant differences in sensory and hedonic responses (p < 0.0001, respectively) between insect types. In general, insects showed low mean liking. They were distributed in two significantly different groups. Mealworms (6.9), buffalo worms (6.6), and bee larvae (6.4) had higher mean liking compared to crickets (5.2), wax moth larvae (5.1), and grasshoppers (4.7). Furthermore, 19 descriptors discriminated between insects demonstrating that insects vary in sensory characteristics. “Crunchy” was significantly associated with liking, highlighting the importance of this sensory attribute when promoting the consumption of edible insects in preadolescents. Insect liking decreased with increasing levels of food neophobia, which was also affected by age- and gender. The study offers new insights into the acceptance and sensory properties of commercial insects that can be used to promote insect consumption and for future product development targeted at this group.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Malay-Translated Version of the Food Neophobia Scale for Malaysian Young Adults.

The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) is a research instrument, originally developed in English, to assess an individual's level of food neophobia. However, it has not yet been translated and validated for Malaysians. Therefore, we aimed to translate and validate a Malay-translated version of the FNS. Respondents were 200 young adults (mostly females, 73%; and students, 82.0%; M age = 22.3years, SD = 2.3). We first translated the FNS into Malay using the forward-backward translation method, and a panel of nutrition and dietetics experts then reviewed it for item relevance, clarity, simplicity, and ambiguity. The translated FNS suggested good content validity with an item-level content validity index (I-CVI) > .8, a scale-level content validity index (S-CVI)/average = .8 and a S-CVI/universal agreement = .96. Principal component analysis revealed a two-factor model: (i) willingness and trust; and (ii) rejection and fear. Cronbach's alpha for the Malay-translated FNS was .808, demonstrating high internal consistency and reliability among young Malaysian adults. Future investigators can now use this Malay-translated FNS instrument to determine levels of food neophobia among Malaysians.

Insect-based feed in aquaculture: A consumer attitudes study

The aquaculture industry is currently faced with the major challenge of finding alternative protein sources for feeding aquatic species. The goal is to mitigate the environmental impact of conventional feed production in order to satisfy the demand of consumers for sustainable and environmentally friendly food. Fishmeal and fish oil have been the predominant substrates used in the fish farming industry to date, but insects are now emerging as promising feed substitutes. However, the feeding of insects to fish continues to be perceived as unconventional by consumers, although only few studies have actually explored European consumers' attitudes towards animal food products fed with insects.This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating consumer behaviors towards the consumption of fish fillets obtained from fish fed an insect-based feed. The overall goal was to understand the interconnection between sociodemographic variables, namely levels of knowledge, food neophobia, and food consumption sustainability, and attitudes towards feed quality, climate change, shopping sustainability, and the sustainability of insect-based feed. To this end, an online survey was conducted on 303 Italian consumers aged 18–78 years (52.4% men). The analysis of the dataset was conducted by modelling the independent categorical variables with their attitudes towards the four topics studied by Multiple Linear Regression, after having established their effects using the Pearson Chi-Square test and one-way ANOVA. Our results demonstrate that sociodemographic variables, such as gender and age, are strongly correlated with attitudes towards climate change, while diet is associated with attitudes towards shopping sustainability. The measured level of food consumption sustainability correlates with both attitudes. At the same time, a high level of knowledge correlates with a strong attitude towards the sustainability of insect-based feed. Overall, we conclude that providing specific groups of consumers with meaningful information related to the use of insect-based feed in aquaculture will increase the likelihood of their accepting this innovation. Our study also offers insights that can help identify categories of consumers who could be more interested in choosing products from insect-fed animals.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Food Neophobia Occurrence in Children: A Study Carried out in Italy.

Food Neophobia (FN), defined as the reluctance to eat new or unfamiliar foods, mainly concerns fruit, vegetables, and legumes, typical of the Mediterranean Diet (MD). Considering these premises, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between FN and AMD in a sample of Italian children and their association with some socio-demographic factors and children's nutritional status. A sample of 288 children aged 3-11 years participated in an assessment carried out with a questionnaire evaluating FN and AMD, respectively, with the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS) and the KIDMED test. Most of the sample showed an intermediate (67.3%) or high level of FN (18.1%), with high rates among 6-11-year-old children (63.9%) and especially in those who were the only child (50%). The AMD was mostly low (29.5%) or medium (54.8%) and reached lower levels among higher neophobic children (51.9%; p value < 0.05). The present results confirm the study hypothesis that FN is a driver of MD abandonment and shows the positive effects on children's eating habits and siblings. Finally, this study proves the relevance of adopting effective feeding strategies against FN to avoid its maintenance in adulthood and the detrimental effects on future overall health and well-being.

Examining the whole plate: The role of the family context in the understanding of children's food refusal behaviors

Introduction: In the context of understanding children's food refusal behaviors, such as food fussiness and food neophobia, research has predominantly focused on the role of parental feeding strategies. However, little is known about which general family context variables add to the understanding of children's food refusal behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between 1) parents' own use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies when they are anxious, 2) parents' reactions towards their children's emotions in stressful situations, and 3) parenting styles on the one hand, and children's food refusal behaviors on the other. Methods: Mothers and fathers (N = 157) of young children (M = 4.64, SD = 1.7) completed a series of self- and parent-report questionnaires. Results: The model examining the role of parenting styles was found to be significantly related to food refusal behaviors in children. More specifically, the current findings demonstrate that higher levels of a coercive parenting style were associated with higher levels of both food fussiness and food neophobia in children. Furthermore, higher levels of a chaotic parenting styles were associated with higher levels of food neophobia in children. The models examining parents' maladjusted emotion regulation strategies when anxious and parents' reactions towards their children's emotions during stressful situations were not found to be significant. Conclusions: Factors related to the parenting style appear to be important for understanding food refusal behaviors in children. Replication of the findings using longitudinal and observational designs is needed.

Consumer segments less or more willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins

The use of microalgae proteins as an alternative protein source in the European food market is becoming increasingly important. Despite their potential, these foods are still relatively unknown to European consumers. Therefore, it is crucial for their successful market introduction to explore consumer awareness, perception and willingness to try them. The objectives of this study were to identify factors shaping willingness to try and consumer segments likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. Data were collected via a quantitative online survey (N = 3027) in five European countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Italy. First, binary logistic regression showed that a flexitarian diet, general health interest, food neophobia, and environmental concern significantly shaped willingness to try foods with microalgae proteins. Second, factor analysis identified two dimensions of consumers’ perceptions about foods with microalgae proteins: credence attributes related and experience attributes related. Third, these perception constructs were used alongside willingness to try in a two-stage segmentation analysis to identify consumer segments willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. The analysis yielded four segments, “Enthusiast”, “Cautiously curious”, “Undecided”, and “Uninterested”. Finally, the segments were profiled in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and perceptions by means of a multinomial logistic regression (n = 2957). Consumers with a higher general health interest, stronger environmental concern, and greater interest in information about foods with microalgae proteins were more likely to be part of segments with a higher willingness to try and more favorable perceptions. Consumers with higher levels of food (technology) neophobia, were more likely to be part of segments with a lower willingness to try and less favorable perceptions. This study has shown that segmentation proves useful to identify and profile consumers who would be less or more likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins and enables more effective tailoring of marketing and further research efforts.

Food neophobia in early childhood: A cross cultural study

This study analyzed the evolution of food neophobia (FN) in early childhood across different cultures (Chile, China, and US). FN was measured in mothers and children using maternal reports through a 6-items version of the FN Scale. One hundred and five mothers of 1-year old children completed a survey in two consecutive years, answering questions about demographics, eating habits and FN. According to our results, independently of the country of origin, there is a significant increase in children’s FN between 1 and 2 years of age (p <.001). Moreover, when all the data was analyzed together, mothers showed to be less neophobic than their children at 2 years of age, but not at 1 year of age (p <.001); however, this difference was not consistent across countries (p <.01). Among mothers, FNs differed according to the country of origin, with Californian mothers being the least neophobic (p <.01). Regarding the effect of children’s eating habits on their levels of FN, the results showed that FN varied significantly with vegetable intake (p <.001) and food variety (p <.001), where the children who ate more vegetables and had a more varied diet were less neophobic. Finally, no significant difference in children’s FN was found between genders.

Halal Food Perspectives: A cross-sectional survey of neophobic and neophilic mindsets

This study explores the relationship between halal food and food neophobia in Malaysia. A total of 399 participants were surveyed using the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS). Neophobic individuals were most likely to be generation Z, male, had less than tertiary education, and had a salary less than RM1000. They tended to avoid food due to halal status and weird taste. The findings provide insights into the level of food neophobia among Malaysians and its impact on their acceptance of halal food. The results can aid policymakers and industry stakeholders in promoting inclusive and culturally sensitive food choices.

Towards more sustainable animal-feed alternatives: A survey on Spanish consumers' willingness to consume animal products fed with insects

Global meat consumption will continue to increase in response to the growth in population and demand. Numerous studies have emphasized the nutritional, economic, and environmental benefits of using insect meal as an alternative protein source for animal feed. This article analyses Spanish consumers' willingness to consume pork, chicken, eggs, and fish, and explores the effect of sociodemographic and psychometric characteristics on their willingness to consume when the animals are fed with insect protein as a sustainable feed alternative. The study used an online Spanish consumers' panel belonging to Qualtrics© (market company services) and distributed it to 1260 individuals stratified by age, gender, and region. The data were analysed using the non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests. Overall, the results demonstrated that most Spanish consumers expressed high uncertainty regarding their willingness to consume animal-fed insect meals. They also exhibited moderate levels of food neophobia and showed a highly ecocentric attitude. The non-parametric comparison analysis confirmed significant differences in willingness to consume sustainable animal products across sociodemographic characteristics: financial situation and gender were significant variables, with females more willing to consume sustainable animal products than males. For the psychometric traits, significant differences in willingness to consume sustainable animal products were confirmed across food neophobia, food neophilia, opinions on using insects in animal feed, and ecocentric attitude. The results also confirmed a significant difference in the effects of sociodemographic variables on psychometric attributes. Financial situation affects food neophilia, anthropocentric attitudes, and opinions on the use of insects in animal feed. Age influences food neophobia, ecocentric attitudes, and opinions on the use of insects in animal feed. Education also influences food neophilia, ecocentric attitudes, and opinions on the use of insects in animal feed. For gender, it is observed that females are more neophobic than males. This study has provided comprehensive initial insights into consumer willingness to consume insect-fed animal products in Spain, and the findings from this study will serve as a valuable resource for producers, policymakers, and governments in making informed decisions that promote more sustainable production practices.

Factors affecting willingness and future intention to eat insects in students of an edible insect course

Interest in insects as food has increased globally over the last decade. Factors affecting willingness to eat insects in countries without traditions of edible insects have been studied predominantly in Europe, and with a predominant focus on consumer attributes such as levels of food neophobia or disgust. This study examined attitudes in Taiwan, where edible insects are not commonly consumed, and included attributes of edible insects as a food innovation, using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the framework to model explanatory variables affecting consumer choice. These choices not only included willingness to eat insect products in varying levels of disguise, but also the desire, intention, and probability of actually eating insects within the next month, in order to identify factors affecting passive rejection from lack of supply instead of active rejection. Taiwanese students of an edible insect course were surveyed on their willingness and intention to eat insects, and their views towards novel foods, insects in general, and insects as food. Food neophobia and levels of disgust or fear of insects had the strongest effects on respondent willingness and intent to eat insects. Processed insect products were seen as more acceptable, yet also riskier and less acceptable to less innovative consumers. Concern over the environmental footprint of one’s diet correlated with a willingness to replace traditional meat with insects, but otherwise was not a significant predictor of likelihood to eat insects. Variables related to insect product supply such as trialability and observability were not significant, but perceived approval or disapproval from peers and family strongly correlated with willingness to eat insects. Strongly neophobic and entomophobic consumers may remain unwilling to add insects to their diets even if they are educated on the rationale for doing so.