Higa, J. E., Ruby, M. B., & Rozin, P. (2021). Americans’ acceptance of black soldier fly larvae as food for themselves, their dogs, and farmed animals. Food Quality and Preference, 90, 104119.
Important: While based on the work performed by the above researchers, this article is a unique piece of content created by Intersect, designed to offer a summary of important takeaways for busy readers.
Introduction
Feeding a population of 9.6 billion by 2050 requires a 70% increase in food production, with meat production needing to double.
This raises concerns about food scarcity and the sustainability of the current food system, especially since livestock farming contributes 15-18% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable alternatives to animal protein, feed, and pet food are essential.
Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are highlighted as a promising solution due to their abundant availability, high nutritional value, efficient calorie conversion, and ability to be reared on organic waste.
While insect consumption is common in some regions, it faces low acceptance in Western countries due to sensory and cultural barriers.
The paper aims to explore the potential of BSFL as both human food and as an alternative animal feed, which could help address food security and environmental concerns around the current livestock-based food system.
This paper consisted of 2 studies, which are described below.
Study 1
Sample and method
The first study questioned a sample of 177 American adults. The sample was highly educated, with 48% having a Bachelor's degree or above, and was primarily White (75%), followed by Black (11%), Asian (6%), Latinx (5%), and multiracial (3%).
The majority of participants were omnivores (85%), with the remaining identifying as reducetarians (6%), partial vegetarians (4%), vegetarians (3%), and vegans (2%).
| Definitions |
|
Reducetarians Reducetarians are individuals committed to reducing their consumption of meat, dairy, and other animal products without completely eliminating them from their diet. |
Participants were told “Suppose some scientists discovered a new species of bird, similar to a chicken. It has a mild taste and is safe to eat.” (Higa et al., 2021, p.2)
Participants rated their willingness to try eating a new bird species based on the bird's diet, their attitudes towards eating various insect-based foods, and their comfort level with incorporating black soldier fly larvae flour and fat into their diet.
Results
The research paper aimed to investigate people's perceptions and willingness to consume black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and products derived from them.
- The results showed that participants were most willing to eat the bird if it fed on vegetation, followed by insects, animal flesh, and garbage.
- Similarly, participants felt most positively about eating chicken fed on BSFL, followed by fish fed on BSFL, and least positively about eating BSFL themselves.
- The study also found that participants felt least negatively about eating BSFL fed on leftovers, followed by BSFL fed on vegetables but whose parents were fed on feces, and BSFL fed on feces.
- Moreover, participants felt significantly more positive about eating chicken raised on BSFL that were raised on leftovers compared to chicken raised on BSFL that were raised on feces.
The study revealed that participants were more likely to eat BSFL if it were referred to as "earth caviar", "black butter pods", or "Malaysian butter grub", with previous insect consumption experience correlating with higher acceptance of BSFL as food.
Discussion
The study's results revealed that people were more willing to consume animals fed on insects rather than directly eating the insects themselves.
The type of diet the insects consumed significantly influenced people's acceptance, with black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) bred on "disgusting" substances, such as feces, being considered much less acceptable.
Interestingly, BSFL were perceived as even more unacceptable if they had been fed on feces than if their parents had.
Surprisingly, birds fed on insects were more acceptable as food than those fed on animal flesh.
Participants showed a higher willingness to eat chicken raised on BSFL compared to fish raised on BSFL, potentially indicating a preference for chicken over fish. Most participants were open to trying BSFL, with only 10% expressing complete resistance to the idea.
Dog food
The study also delved into the acceptability of insects as part of dog food.
The researchers hypothesized that participants with a closer relationship to their dogs would be more reluctant to feed them insects, assuming the participants themselves were averse to consuming insects.
Additionally, the study sought to determine the acceptability of different forms of dog food containing insect flour, such as occasional treats versus daily dog food with insect flour, and whole dried insects.
These findings provide valuable insights into the nuanced attitudes towards consuming insects indirectly through animal products, as well as the potential implications for incorporating insects into pet food.
Study 2
Sample and method
The final sample for this second study consisted of 214 American adults, with a balanced gender distribution (42% women), an average age of 36.22 years, and a high level of education (55% with a Bachelor's degree or above).
The sample was predominantly White (77%), followed by Latinx (8%), Asian (6%), multiracial (5%), and Black (4%).
Most participants were omnivores (83%), with a smaller proportion being reducetarians (9%), vegetarians (5%), and partial vegetarians (2%).
The questionnaire covered various topics, including:
- Participants' relationship with their dog
- Their general attitudes towards insects
- Their willingness to eat insects and insect-based foods
- Their willingness to feed their dog insects or insect-based dog food.
Participants rated their beliefs about the benefits and disgustingness of eating insects, their willingness to eat roasted chicken and grilled fish, and their willingness to eat different types of insect-based foods.
They also answered questions about their relationship with their dog and their dog-feeding behaviors.
Results
A repeated measure on participants' willingness to eat fish and chicken fed on Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) and BSFL itself revealed that people were most willing to eat chicken fed on BSFL, followed by fish fed on BSFL, and then BSFL itself.
The study found that willingness to eat fish raised on BSFL dropped significantly less compared to chicken raised on BSFL.
Participants reported their comfort levels with consuming foods containing BSFL flour and fat, with a significant minority expressing discomfort.
Additionally, the study investigated participants' willingness to consume whole roasted BSFL as an ingredient in their favorite cereal or stew and found that willingness varied based on the offering price.
The study also examined participants' willingness to feed their dogs treats, daily pet food, and dried insects made with insect flour, finding significant differences in their willingness based on the species of insect used.
The researchers created composite scores for participants' overall willingness to eat BSFL and feed their dogs foods containing insects.
Results indicated that people were most willing to feed their dog treats made with cricket flour, followed by BSFL, followed by both mealworms and ants.
Multiple analyses revealed that insect eating disgust significantly predicted participants' overall willingness to eat BSFL, while both insect eating disgust and benefits were significant predictors of participants' overall willingness to feed their dogs foods containing insects.
General discussion
The study found that participants were more willing to eat insects indirectly as animal feed than directly as food, with a particular preference for birds raised on insects
Perceptions of disgustingness and benefits of insect foods predicted both personal willingness to consume them and willingness to feed them to pets.
The paper focused on black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as a promising insect source, finding they were nearly as acceptable as crickets and more acceptable than mealworms or ants.
Limitations
Limitations include the reliance on self-reported data and U.S.-only participants.
Future research should explore experimental studies, broader cultural contexts, and measures beyond initial willingness to try.
The authors expect indirect consumption of insects may encourage direct human consumption through mere exposure and positive associations.
Identifying consumer characteristics willing to adopt insects is important for the sustainable protein industry to effectively market insect-based products.
As the world grapples with feeding a growing population, understanding consumer attitudes towards insects will be crucial for improving food system sustainability.
