Insetti per l’alimentazione umana: barriere e drivers per l’accettazione da parte dei consumatori

Abstract

As the overall demand for food increases, there is an urgent need of sustainable proteins. To what extent European consumers are willing to accept innovative ingredients in their diet is the main research question we address. Interviews are conducted on a sample of 45 Italian consumers and results are analysed through the laddering method with the aim to understand how consumers express their personal values. The paper intends to contribute to the ongoing debate on global food security addressing potential drivers of, and barriers to, Western consumer acceptance of insects-based ingredients in the food supply chain. Results show that a combination of socio-cultural barriers and fear is assumed to contribute to the lower acceptability of insects-as-food in Western societies.