ABSTRACT
Edible insects are regarded as one of the most sustainable animal protein sources for human consumption, but for western people insects are a rather unusual food ingredient. In the media, however, insect consumption is gaining increasing attention and people are starting to acknowledge insects as a potential source of protein. The eating of insects, ‘entomophagy’, is bringing new insect food companies, ‘ento-preneurs’ to the market, yet current research is still insufficient and relatively fragmented to support the commercialization of insect-based food products. Therefore, more systematic research approaches are needed in this area. This review article introduces the benefits and challenges of insect-eating, discusses the factors that are known to influence consumer acceptance, and categorizes factors including adoption strategies into a framework that can be applied in future consumer studies on entomophagy. In addition, the article introduces three distinctive examples of design interventions to illustrate how design can contribute as a strategy to support the general adoption of insect foods by western consumers.
Edible insects are regarded as one of the most sustainable animal protein sources for human consumption, but for western people insects are a rather unusual food ingredient. In the media, however, insect consumption is gaining increasing attention and people are starting to acknowledge insects as a potential source of protein. The eating of insects, ‘entomophagy’, is bringing new insect food companies, ‘ento-preneurs’ to the market, yet current research is still insufficient and relatively fragmented to support the commercialization of insect-based food products. Therefore, more systematic research approaches are needed in this area. This review article introduces the benefits and challenges of insect-eating, discusses the factors that are known to influence consumer acceptance, and categorizes factors including adoption strategies into a framework that can be applied in future consumer studies on entomophagy. In addition, the article introduces three distinctive examples of design interventions to illustrate how design can contribute as a strategy to support the general adoption of insect foods by western consumers.
AIM
1) To get an overview of the reasons for edible insects and consumer research linked to it.
2) To provide a preliminary framework for understanding the adoption of edible insects from the perspective of consumer acceptance.
3) To examine three different design interventions and their impact on the market.
MAIN FINDINGS
• Sustainability of insect-rearing is the biggest reason for promoting insect-eating.
• The impact of insect rearing is multi-faced and requires a critical view on the promoted sustainability claims.
• Ethical aspects of insect-eating are less discussed in the current research, but are becoming more important for consumers.
• Consumer acceptance may refer to product trial or full acceptance.
• Sensory-focused strategies and marketing and education -focused strategies are mostly recommended strategies for introducing insects as food, however, design-focused strategies could be regarded as part of the strategies for introducing insects as food.
• Design can improve adoption via influencing the country-specific regulation, influencing the perception of food production and linking consumers‘ individual factors to desired product properties.
The framework of consumer acceptance (Kauppi et al., 2019).
Amount of feed and water needed to produce 1kg of live animal weight, based on an illustration by Dobermann et al. (2017) and redrawn by Saara-Maria Kauppi. Data from Hoekstra (2012), Hoekstra and Mekonnen (2012), Mekonnen and Hoekstra (2012), Oonincx and de Boer (2012), van Huis et al. (2013) and Miglietta et al. (2015).
Design changing the perception of food production
LivinFarms’ product for home rearing mealworms.
LivinFarms’ product for home rearing mealworms.
Design changing the country-specific regulation
Sirkkapurkki (Cricket Jar) by EntoCube (2016b) granola ingredients in jar sold as ‘kitchen decoration’ in Finland, designed by the first author. Crickets in a jar sold as ‘Eye candy’ by Griidy (2018) in Sweden. Reproduced with permission from EntoCube and Griidy.
Sirkkapurkki (Cricket Jar) by EntoCube (2016b) granola ingredients in jar sold as ‘kitchen decoration’ in Finland, designed by the first author. Crickets in a jar sold as ‘Eye candy’ by Griidy (2018) in Sweden. Reproduced with permission from EntoCube and Griidy.
Design linking individual factors and product properties
Different insect products from ThailandUnique (2018), BugFoundation (2018), Jimini’s (2017) and NutriBug (2018). Reproduced with permission from Thailand Unique, Bug Foundation, Jimini’s, Nutribug UK Ltd and designer Graeme Lee Rose.
Different insect products from ThailandUnique (2018), BugFoundation (2018), Jimini’s (2017) and NutriBug (2018). Reproduced with permission from Thailand Unique, Bug Foundation, Jimini’s, Nutribug UK Ltd and designer Graeme Lee Rose.