Willingness to consume insect-containing foods: A survey in the United States

Entomophagy, consuming insect as food, is a rising topic in western societies due to its positive attributes on the environment, food security, and nutrition. However, this practice has not established popularity in the United States (US). The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that affect willingness to consume insect-containing foods (ICF) in the US. A questionnaire consisting of 26 questions regarding demographics, exposure, knowledge, and willingness to consume ICF was developed and administered to Survey Monkey (n = 397). ANOVA and independent t-test were performed using SPSS. Results suggested that participants were more willing to consume ICF if they were familiar with the concept, were aware of the benefits of entomophagy, or had tried ICF prior to this study (p < 0.001). As many as 67% of participants who had never eaten ICF considered entomophagy disgusting as compared to 35% of participants who had eaten insects. Our study suggests that exposure was the most important factor influencing the perception of entomophagy among study participants. Due to the small sample size, one must proceed with caution when generalizing the findings to the entire US population. However, this study could facilitate the development of strategies to improve consumers' willingness to eat ICF.