Exploring young foodies׳ knowledge and attitude regarding entomophagy: A qualitative study in Italy

Edible insects as a food source might help feeding poor developing countries and at the same time be a complementary food/ingredient for developed countries. However, in the Western countries the majority of people refuse the idea of eating insects, for mainly cultural reasons. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the expectations about entomophagy from a specific target group (foodies) composed by people studying Gastronomy and Food Science. The study was held at the University of Parma (Italy) in April 2015 and consisted in a student engagement with a so-called "bug banquet" with a cookie made with "insect flour". Results show that almost all the sample tasted the product and is willing to try other edible insects in the future. Curiosity is the most important reason to choose to try the cookie made with cricket flour; whereas negative opinions of family members and friends and the disgust factor may prevent Western consumers from eating insects in the future. However, whether edible insects will increase their acceptability will also depend heavily on market availability (regulatory framework), food category (e.g., bakery product with insect flour) marketing strategies, gastronomy (preparation), culinary trends and education.