TY - JOUR

T1 - Perception of edible insects and insect-based foods among children in Denmark: educational and tasting interventions in online and in-person classrooms

AU - Maya, Cassandra

AU - Sterling, K

AU - Rukov, J L

AU - Roos, Nanna

N1 - CURIS 2023 NEXS 084

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Insect-based foods may contribute to the consumption of more sustainable diets. Acceptance strategies for children are necessary to integrate insect-based foods into normal diets and lead to significant protein replacement. This study aimed to: (1) pilot the evaluation of insect-based foods in an online classroom; and (2) investigate the effects of exposing school children to educational and tasting interventions on the perception of edible insects and insect-based foods using in-person classrooms. The online classroom (n=220) used a simple intervention design where the perception of insect-based flatbreads and dhal-inspired dish were measured after exposure to the information session and tasting. The in-person classroom intervention (n=65) was composed of a lesson, food tasting, and a question-and-answer session with designated questionnaires. The online classroom response rate decreased as the number of tasks increased during the tasting or cooking sessions. Children participating in the in-person classroom session reported positive post-intervention correlations between agreeing society needing sustainable foods and willingness to consume insects. Awareness initiatives for insect-based foods for regular consumption should advance as opinions and knowledge about sustainability change.

AB - Insect-based foods may contribute to the consumption of more sustainable diets. Acceptance strategies for children are necessary to integrate insect-based foods into normal diets and lead to significant protein replacement. This study aimed to: (1) pilot the evaluation of insect-based foods in an online classroom; and (2) investigate the effects of exposing school children to educational and tasting interventions on the perception of edible insects and insect-based foods using in-person classrooms. The online classroom (n=220) used a simple intervention design where the perception of insect-based flatbreads and dhal-inspired dish were measured after exposure to the information session and tasting. The in-person classroom intervention (n=65) was composed of a lesson, food tasting, and a question-and-answer session with designated questionnaires. The online classroom response rate decreased as the number of tasks increased during the tasting or cooking sessions. Children participating in the in-person classroom session reported positive post-intervention correlations between agreeing society needing sustainable foods and willingness to consume insects. Awareness initiatives for insect-based foods for regular consumption should advance as opinions and knowledge about sustainability change.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Children

KW - Sustainability

KW - Exposure

KW - Neophobia

KW - Alternative proteins

KW - Edible insects

KW - Insect-based foods

KW - Denmark

U2 - 10.3920/JIFF2022.0176

DO - 10.3920/JIFF2022.0176

M3 - Journal article

VL - 9

SP - 989

EP - 1001

JO - Journal of Insects as Food and Feed

JF - Journal of Insects as Food and Feed

SN - 2352-4588

IS - 8

ER -