Research: New Ways of Presenting Insect Protein May Boost Consumer Acceptance

19 Sep 2014 --- A wider consumer acceptance of insects as an alternative source of protein may arrive sooner than originally anticipated, according to experts. Research presented at Leatherhead Food Research’s Food Innovation Day, which took place yesterday, showed that a third of consumers think that insects are a viable source of food.

As part of the research, 39% said they could consider eating insects in the form of a protein-rich flour, for use in baking, while 29% were interested in insects presented as a low-fat high-protein burger.  But when shown pictures of whole prawns, langoustines and crickets, only 18% said they would eat a cricket versus 82% for prawns.

“We wanted to question why shellfish (often known as ‘insects of the sea’) is such as delicacy, while insects aren’t”, explained Nicole Pattersen-Lett, principle analyst at Leatherhead Food Research. “Insects are a healthy, nutritious and tasty alternative to other protein sources, and they have positive functional benefits as they are high in calcium and are low in fat.”

But, as co-founder of Ento Foods, Aran Dasan, explained, “Convincing people to eat insects involves the challenge of overcoming the ‘disgust’ reaction.”

At the event, Dasan spoke about Developing Foods from Alternative Sources, with a particular focus on insect protein. Dasan co-founded the company Ento Foods, which has spent the past two years looking at new ways to present insects to consumers.

As the global population continues to rise, the pressure on the food and drink industry to look to more sustainable ingredients will increase.

Having a diverse diet would make us more resilient to environmental factors which could challenge our sustainable food supplies, said Dasan. “Insects have their place incorporated into out diet.”

At present there are 15 to 20 insect farms in the EU all grown specifically for human consumption.

by Sonya Hook