Americans' acceptance of black soldier fly larvae as food for themselves, their dogs, and farmed animals. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Higa, Jennifer E.; Ruby, Matthew B.; Rozin, Paul
• Is Part Of: Food quality and preference. Volume 90(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Black soldier fly larvae -- Consumer acceptance -- Dogs -- Food choice -- Insects -- Sustainability; Food preferences -- Periodicals; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Préférences alimentaires -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Food industry and trade -- Quality control; Food preferences; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104119
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-3293

Abstract

Highlights: Most participants (>70%) are willing to try eating insects in some form. People prefer human and dog foods in which insects are not visible. People prefer BSFL in dog foods over ants and mealworms. Disgust and Benefit beliefs predict acceptability of insects for humans and dogs. Closeness to one's dog weakly predicts willingness to serve insect foods. Abstract: This paper investigates consumer attitudes towards Hermetia illucens larvae (aka Black Soldier Fly Larvae; BSFL) and other insects in two forms: dried whole insects and insect flour incorporated into a familiar food. In two studies, we assessed the willingness of American adults to try eating them directly, eating animals fed on them, and feeding them to their pet dog. Participants were significantly more willing to try food made with insect flour than to eat the whole insects, with the same pattern emerging for acceptability of insects in dog food. BSFL were roughly as acceptable as other insects (crickets, mealworms, ants). On average, participants had negative attitudes towards eating BSFL on their own, but the majority were willing to try foods containing BSFL in the form of insect flour or rendered fat. There are also suggestions in the data that indirect routes of consumption (e.g., consuming animals that have eaten insects, or feeding insects to one's dog) are more acceptable than direct consumption. Our results suggest that BSFL are relatively well-received by consumers and are a promising alternative to the farmed animals more commonly used in pet food.