Can we cut out the meat of the dish? Constructing consumer-oriented pathways towards meat substitution

Insects' contribution to the bioeconomy and the reduction of food waste

The growing global population and awareness of the unsustainability of livestock production have led consumers, companies, organizations, and governments to consider entomophagy (eating insects) as a more sustainable option. Minilivestock offers advantages over traditional livestock production: with greater diversity, higher nutritional levels, higher energy efficiency, higher reproductive rates, lower environmental footprint, and lower costs. This article aims to demonstrate how the successful implementation of entomophagy in the West can positively contribute to the bioeconomy. The article does this by exploring entomophagy, presenting novel research on entrepreneurs in insect farming, and introducing food waste as a free, plentiful, and sustainable feed resource for insect farms. Although none of the insect farms included in this research showed any links between insect farms and food waste reduction, this is expected to change as the industry matures.

Understanding the factors influencing consumer willingness to accept the use of insects to feed poultry, cattle, pigs and fish in Brazil

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing consumer willingness to accept the use of insects to feed poultry, cattle, pigs, and fish. To reach this objective, we conducted an online survey with Brazilian consumers. 600 questionnaires were collected. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. In general, the use of insects to feed poultry, pigs and cattle was not widely accepted. A more widely acceptance was found for the use of insects to feed fish. The results of logistic regressions models show that positive attitudes are associated with a higher probability of accepting the use of insects to feed poultry, pigs, cattle, and fish. Perceived benefits were associated with a higher likelihood of accepting the use of insects to feed fish. However, perceived benefits were also associated with a lower likelihood of accepting the use of insects to feed poultry. Perceived challenges were associated with a higher likelihood of accepting the use of insects to feed poultry. However, perceived challenges were associated with a lower likelihood of accepting the use of insects to feed pigs.

Plant-Protein Diversity Is Critical to Ensuring the Nutritional Adequacy of Diets When Replacing Animal With Plant Protein: Observed and Modeled Diets of French Adults (INCA3)

BACKGROUND

There is a current trend in Western countries toward increasing the intake of plant protein. A higher plant-protein intake has been associated with nutritional and health benefits, but these may depend on the pattern of plant-protein sources.

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that the diversity of plant foods could be important to nutrient adequacy when increasing plant-protein intake in the diet.

METHODS

Using data on 1341 adults (aged 18-64 y) from a representative French national dietary survey conducted in 2014-2015 (the third Individual and National Study on Food Consumption Survey-INCA3), we studied the links between plant-protein intake, dietary diversity (using various dimensions), and nutrient adequacy [assessed using the PANDiet (Probability of Adequate Nutrient Intake) scoring system, comprising adequacy (AS) and moderation (MS) subscores]. We simulated substituting plant-protein foods for animal-protein foods using different models of plant-protein diversity.

RESULTS

We found that overall diet quality was weakly associated with total and protein diversity and more strongly with plant-protein diversity. Plant-protein intake was inversely associated with animal-protein intake, and positively with the PANDiet and MS, but not with the AS. Plant-protein intake displayed little diversity, mostly taking the form of grains (61% of plant-protein intake), and this diversity was even less marked under a higher plant-protein intake. Finally, modeled substitutions showed that reducing animal-protein intake increased the MS (by 32%) in a similar manner whichever plant protein was used for substitution, whereas it decreased the AS (by 20%) unless using a highly diversified plant-protein mix. These simulated improvements in overall adequacy included marked decreases in adequacy regarding certain nutrients that are typically of animal origin.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that in French adults the current pattern of plant-protein intake is hindering the nutritional benefits of a transition toward more plant protein, indicating that the consumption of plant-protein-based foods other than refined grains should be encouraged.

Using Evidence Mapping to Examine Motivations for Following Plant-Based Diets

Motivations to adopt plant-based diets are of great public health interest. We used evidence mapping to identify methods that capture motivations to follow plant-based diets and summarize demographic trends in dietary motivations. We identified 56 publications that described 90 samples of plant-based diet followers and their dietary motivations. We categorized the samples by type of plant-based diet: vegan (19%), vegetarian (33%), semivegetarian (24%), and other, unspecified plant-based diet followers (23%). Of 90 studies examined, 31% administered multiple-choice questions to capture motivations, followed by rate items (23%), Food Choice Questionnaire (17%), free response (9%), and rank choices (10%). Commonly reported motivations were health, sensory/taste/disgust, animal welfare, environmental concern, and weight loss. The methodological variation highlights the importance of using a structured questionnaire to investigate dietary motivations in epidemiological studies. Motivations among plant-based diet followers appear distinct, but evidence on the association between age and motivations appears limited.

Consumer attitudes toward entomophagy before and after evaluating cricket (Acheta domesticus)-based protein powders

In recent years, the use of insects in food products has increased. Insects are a sustainable ingredient that is high in protein. However, consumption in Western countries is low, and this may be due to poor sensory qualities, expense, availability, and food neophobia. The objectives of this study were to determine Atlantic Canadian consumers' attitudes toward entomophagy and to assess consumers' perception of cricket-based protein powders. There were two phases to this study: in phase one, participants (n = 107) completed a survey about their attitudes toward consuming insects (Specific Beliefs and Attitudes about Insect Consumption Scale created by Ruby, Rozin, & Chan 2015), and in the second phase, participants (n = 102) were asked to evaluate four different protein powders (two contained crickets) using 9-point hedonic scales and a CATA questionnaire. Then, the participants were again asked to complete the aforementioned survey. Before consuming cricket protein powder, most participants thought that insects were a sustainable protein source, but also thought that the consumption of insects was undesirable. However, after consuming cricket protein powder, the participants were willing to buy cricket powder and were willing to recommend it to their friends. For insect consumption to become acceptable in the Western world, it will need to be integrated slowly to reduce consumers' fear and negative attitudes. Protein powders are consumed by many people in the Western world and are an excellent candidate to allow for the integration of insects into their diets. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrated that consumers in Atlantic Canada are more willing to eat insects after having tried them in protein powders. Additionally, protein powders represent a familiar context for consumers and allow for the acceptable integration of cricket powder. Consumers are willing to buy and recommend crickets to their friends after consuming them (in a processed form); however, they still have concerns that insects may carry harmful microbes and toxins.

The potential of insects as food sources - a review

Entomophagy is a long-time practice and a food source for many cultures. Still, many societies have abandoned it a long time ago, and regard it as a primal behavior. However, nowadays, the challenge for food demand, with the urge of new nutritional sources, and the problems of undernourishment, mainly on underdeveloped countries, has reached a point where a new perspective is demanded. This review gathers some of the most recent studies regarding the potential benefits and concerns of entomophagy, trying to show the potential of insects as food source and possible ways to introduce them in cultures that have disregarded entomophagy. Entomophagy is taking its place, showing the grand potential of insects as feed and food source. As neophobia and disgust are the main western cultures barriers to accept entomophagy, today's comprehension of this practice and processing capabilities can take that source, to any dish in any form. A simple but nutritive insect powder can create a path to a widely, sustainable, rich food source-insects.

Factors Influencing Consumption of Edible Insects for Chinese Consumers

Edible insects are often considered a healthier and more sustainable meat substitute and protein source. Many studies have examined factors affecting the consumption behavior towards edible insects among Western consumers. However, little is known about factors influencing consumer behavior towards edible insects in Asian countries even though Asians have a long history of consuming insects. In this study, we surveyed 614 Chinese consumers from Beijing and Nanjing to examine the factors influencing their consumption and purchase behavior of edible insects. We find that insect phobia, feelings of disgust, knowledge level, and social demographic factors such as age, household size, household income and region (Northern or Southern China) are the main factors influencing purchase decisions. In addition, the results indicate that the perceived positive attributes associated with edible insects, the preferences of children in the household, as well as age and knowledge level have positive impacts on consumption frequency. On the other hand, concerns of food safety and the shape of the insects have negative impacts on consumption frequency. Finally, the results suggest that educating consumers to increase knowledge of edible insects increases their probability to purchase insect foods.

We Can’t Keep Meating Like This: Attitudes towards Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the United Kingdom

Animal agriculture is implicated as a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, animal suffering and public health problems. This survey asked 1000 UK meat-eaters about their beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets, and their intended consumption of meat and animal products one month in the future. One in six intended to reduce their meat consumption in the next month, and 14% intended to reduce their consumption of animal products. The majority agreed that vegetarian and vegan diets are ethical, good for the environment and healthy. The majority also agreed that both vegetarianism and veganism were socially acceptable. However, there were three consistent negative beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets: that they are difficult, that they are not enjoyable and that they are expensive. Moreover, perceptions of vegan diets were significantly more negative than perceptions of vegetarian diets on most aspects. Significant differences in perceptions of each diet were observed between genders and by age. It is argued that most meat-eaters agree with the ethical and environmental arguments in favour of vegetarianism/veganism but do not follow these diets because of practical reasons relating to taste, price and convenience. New alternatives to animal products are discussed as a possible way to address these practical barriers. Finally, the case is made for more research on developing high-quality, low-cost and widely available animal product alternatives.

Comparison of Conventional and Sustainable Lipid Extraction Methods for the Production of Oil and Protein Isolate from Edible Insect Meal

Edible insects represent an interesting alternative source of protein for human consumption but the main hurdle facing the edible insect sector is low consumer acceptance. However, increased acceptance is anticipated when insects are incorporated as a processed ingredient, such as protein-rich powder, rather than presented whole. To produce edible insect fractions with high protein content, a defatting step is necessary. This study investigated the effects of six defatting methods (conventional solvents, three-phase partitioning, and supercritical CO₂) on lipid extraction yield, fatty profiles, and protein extraction and purification of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meals. Ethanol increased the lipid extraction yield (22.7%–28.8%), irrespective of the insect meal used or the extraction method applied. Supercritical CO₂ gave similar lipid extraction yields as conventional methods for Tenebrio molitor (T. molitor) (22.1%) but was less efficient for Acheta domesticus (A. domesticus) (11.9%). The protein extraction yield ranged from 12.4% to 38.9% for A.domesticus, and from 11.9% to 39.3% for T. molitor, whereas purification rates ranged from 58.3% to 78.5% for A. domesticus and from 48.7% to 75.4% for T. molitor.

Plant-Based Meat Substitutes in the Flexitarian Age: An Audit of Products on Supermarket Shelves

Demand for plant-based meat substitutes is growing globally for nutritional and environmental reasons, with Australia the third-fastest growing vegan market worldwide. This study aimed to profile and compare plant-based meat substitutes (mimicking meat) with equivalent meat products, and 2015 data. An audit undertaken in May (updated in September 2019) from four metropolitan Sydney supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA), collected nutrition information and Health Star Rating (HSR) from 137 products (50 burgers, 10 mince, 29 sausages, 24 chicken, 9 seafood, 15 other). Mean (± standard deviation (SD)) and median (range) was calculated for nutrients and HSR. Plant-based options were generally lower in kilojoules, total and saturated fat, higher in carbohydrate, sugars, and dietary fibre compared with meat. Only 4% of products were low in sodium (58–1200 mg/100 g). Less than a quarter of products (24%) were fortified with vitamin B12, 20% with iron, and 18% with zinc. HSR featured on 46% (3.6–4.4 stars). On-pack claims were vegetarian/vegan/plant-based (80%), protein (63%), non-genetically modified/organic (34%), gluten free (28%). Product numbers increased five-fold (↑429%) in four years. The plant protein trend has prompted innovation in meat substitutes, however wide nutrient ranges and higher sodium levels highlights the importance of nutrition guidelines in their development to ensure equivalence with animal-based proteins.

Entomophagy: Nutritional, ecological, safety and legislation aspects

Globally, there is a need to seek alternative sources of protein in addition to meat. This has led to considerable interest in edible insects. Such insects form part of cultures and diets in many Asian and African countries, and are an excellent source of essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins and proteins. Furthermore, they have been reported to be sustainable. The ecological importance of insects is related to their short life cycles when reared and farmed. This makes them ideal in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, cutting land uses and polluted water, and reducing environmental contamination. However, the use of edible insects as food in Europe is minimal. To ensure safety of insects when eaten as food, considerations should be made on: microbiological contamination; toxicological hazards, e.g. chemical hazards and antinutrients; allergenicity issues that are related to different exposures, including injection, ingestion, inhalation and skin contact. In this review, we summarize the nutritional and sustainable values of edible insects, look at safety and legislative measures and we finally discuss future issues.

Edible Insects as a Protein Source: A Review of Public Perception, Processing Technology, and Research Trends

This review summarizes the current trends related to insect as food resources among consumers, industry, and academia. In Western societies, edible insects have a greater potential as animal feed than as human food because of cultural biases associated with harmful insects, although the abundant characteristics of edible insects should benefit human health. Nevertheless, many countries in Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Latin America utilize insects as a major protein source. Using insects can potentially solve problems related to the conventional food-supply chain, including global water, land, and energy deficits. Academic, industry, and government-led efforts have attempted to reduce negative perceptions of insects through developing palatable processing methods, as well as providing descriptions of health benefits and explaining the necessity of reducing reliance on other food sources. Our overview reveals that entomophagy is experiencing a steady increase worldwide, despite its unfamiliarity to the consumers influenced by Western eating habits.

Older Consumers' Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a growing concern on account of an aging population and its negative health consequences. While dietary protein plays a key role in the prevention of PEM, it also plays a pivotal role in the environmental impact of the human diet. In search for sustainable dietary strategies to increase protein intake in older adults, this study investigated the readiness of older adults to accept the consumption of the following alternative, more sustainable protein sources: plant-based protein, insects, single-cell protein, and in vitro meat. Using ordinal logistic regression modeling, the associations of different food-related attitudes and behavior and sociodemographics with older adults' acceptance to consume such protein sources were assessed. Results were obtained through a consumer survey among 1825 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or above in five EU countries (United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Finland). Dairy-based protein was generally the most accepted protein source in food products (75% of the respondents found its consumption acceptable or very acceptable). Plant-based protein was the most accepted alternative, more sustainable protein source (58%) followed by single-cell protein (20%), insect-based protein (9%), and in vitro meat-based protein (6%). We found that food fussiness is a barrier to acceptance, whereas green eating behavior and higher educational attainment are facilitators to older adults' acceptance to eat protein from alternative, more sustainable sources. Health, sensory appeal, and price as food choice motives, as well as gender and country of residence were found to influence acceptance, although not consistently across all the protein sources. Findings suggest that there is a window of opportunity to increase older adults' acceptance of alternative, more sustainable protein sources and in turn increase protein intake in an environmentally sustainable way in EU older adults.

Mealworms as Food Ingredient-Sensory Investigation of a Model System

The use of insects as food is a sustainable alternative to meat and as a protein source is fully comparable to meat, fish and soybeans. The next step is to make insects available for use in the more widespread production of food and meals. Sensory attributes are of great importance in being able to increase the understanding of insects as an ingredient in cooking and production. In this pilot study, mealworms were used as the main ingredient in a model system, where the aim was to evaluate the impact on sensory properties of changing particle size, oil/water ratio and salt content of the insects using a factorial design. Twelve different samples were produced according to the factorial design. Further, the effect of adding an antioxidant agent was evaluated. Sensory analysis and instrumental analyses were performed on the samples. Particle size significantly influenced the sensory attributes appearance, odor, taste and texture, but not flavor, whereas salt content affected taste and flavor. The viscosity was affected by the particle size and instrumentally measured color was affected by particle size and oil content. The addition of the antioxidant agent decreased the changes in color, rancidity and separation.

An Exploratory Study into the Use of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae in the Production of a Vienna-Style Sausage

Western consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of consuming meat, which has led to an increase in research into protein alternatives with specific interest in insects as a viable option. To determine whether insects could be used in an emulsified sausage application, 4 different treatments were investigated to obtain a Vienna-style sausage made from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). Treatments consisted of a commercially formulated pork Vienna (control) and 3 BSFL treatments with varying concentrations of BSFL (28, 31, and 34%). Proximate composition, and texture profile analysis on d 1 and d 14 (refrigerated storage) were determined. The pork treatment was higher (P < 0.001) in protein and moisture than all of the BSFL treatments, however, there was no difference between treatments with regard to fat or ash content. Texture profile analysis indicated that the treatments had no effect on perceived hardness and cohesion on d 1. With regard to gumminess and springiness, the pork Vienna sausage had the highest (P < 0.001) gumminess values. After 14 d of refrigerated storage the pork treatment retained its hardness, however, there was a decrease (P < 0.001) in the hardness of all of the BSFL treatments. Cohesion values differed between treatments on d 14 (P < 0.001), but both the 34% and 31% treatments were comparable to the pork treatment. On d 1 there was a difference in springiness between the 34% treatment and 28% treatment (P < 0.05), and only the control and 28% treatment retained its springiness at d 14. This study establishes that although BSFL Vienna-style sausages differ from pork Vienna sausages in terms of nutritional composition and perceived texture, out of the 3 BSFL treatments, the 28% BSFL treatment was most comparable to the pork treatment in terms of protein content, ash content, perceived hardness, cohesion, and gumminess, thereby showing the potential of BSFL for partial use in emulsified meat products.

Eating edible insects as sustainable food? Exploring the determinants of consumer acceptance in Germany

The potential use of insects as a novel food source has recently attracted a great deal of attention in Europe, as they have many environmental and nutritional advantages and thus present a promising and sustainable animal protein source. Yet despite insects being a highly appreciated food in many parts of the world, consumer aversion remains as the major barrier to successful implementation in Europe. This study examines prospects of edible whole insect and processed insect-based food in Germany and investigates determining factors for acceptance. It does so to better understand consumers' attitudes toward insects and to derive approaches for insect food to become more appreciated. An online survey was conducted within the German population with a final sample of 393 participants. Several explanatory variables were established, and their influence on the acceptance of whole and processed insect products was analyzed by applying ordinal regressions to compare the market potential and hurdles of either option. The main results show a low willingness to try insects among Germans and the prevalence of psychological and personality barriers to consumption, such as disgust and food neophobia. Focusing on processed insect products is shown to be the most promising strategy to implement entomophagy, as an essential barrier to consumption is the visibility of the insects. However, whether this strategy would diminish the rejection of any insect product requires further investigation.

The Willingness to Modify Portion Sizes or Eat New Protein Foods Largely Depends on the Dietary Pattern of Protein Intake

Promoting a more balanced animal/plant dietary protein ratio by changing portion sizes or introducing new foods is a promising means to improve diet quality, but little is known about the willingness of individuals to adopt such changes. Our objective was to assess the willingness to adopt dietary changes by these means. In a French cross-sectional study in 2018 (n = 2055), we analyzed the association between the willingness to eat smaller or larger portions or to introduce non-consumed protein foods and the current dietary patterns of individuals and their socio-demographic characteristics. These modifications had previously been identified as improving the nutrient adequacy of diets. Participants were more willing to eat smaller portion sizes than to introduce new foods and to eat larger portion sizes. The willingness for any modification varied depending on the food groups concerned. Participants were also more willing to eat larger portions and less willing to eat smaller portions when they were the most frequent consumers of the foods concerned. Participants were more willing to eat a new food if it was consumed in large quantities by individuals with a similar dietary pattern. This study underlines the importance of accounting for individual food habits when issuing nutritional recommendations.

Nudging to get our food choices on a sustainable track

Food production is one of the major contributors to environmental damage. Adaptations in our food choices are needed to preserve resources for the needs of future generations. More sustainable consumption patterns have been encouraged by economic incentives, laws, education and communication campaigns. Nonetheless, consumers still find difficulties in trying to change their current food habits. This review takes a behavioural approach in encouraging sustainable food choices among consumers. From a nudging perspective, many behavioural changes can be encouraged in a non-obtrusive way by adapting the complex food environment in which consumers are operating. These interventions do not restrict consumers' choices but rather adapt the choice architecture wherein food decisions are made. Drawing on the literature from diverse theoretical perspectives, we provide an overview of the application of nudging for more sustainable food choices and highlight where more research is needed. More specifically, we discuss research that used nudging to engender cognitive impact (i.e. the use of labels or visibility enhancements), affective responses (i.e. sensorial and social influence cues) and behavioural effects (i.e. adjustments in convenience and product size). We conclude that this review only shows the tip of the iceberg of the research on nudging and sustainable consumption that is likely forthcoming in the next few years, following the successes of nudging applications in other domains. Nonetheless, each individual nudging intervention requires careful examination. Personal predispositions towards the environment should be considered when designing interventions, demonstrating the complementarity of nudging with education on sustainable consumption.

Protein quality and physicochemical properties of commercial cricket and mealworm powders

The pressing need for protein supply growth gives rise to alternative protein sources, such as insect proteins. Commercial cricket and mealworm powders were examined for their protein quality, surface charge and functional attributes. Both insect powders had similar proximate compositions with protein and ash contents of ~ 66% db (dry weight basis) and 5% db, respectively, however cricket powder contained more lipid (16.1%, db) than mealworm powder (13.7%, db). Mealworm protein had an amino acid score of 0.71 and was first limiting in lysine, whereas cricket protein was first limiting in tryptophan with an amino acid score of 0.85. In vitro protein digestibility values of 75.7% and 76.2%, and in vitro protein digestibility corrected amino acid scores of 0.54 and 0.65, were obtained for mealworm and cricket powders, respectively. Zeta potential measurements gave isoelectric points near pH 3.9 for both insect powders. Mealworm and cricket powders had water hydration capacities of 1.62 g/g and 1.76 g/g, respectively, and oil holding capacities of 1.58 g/g and 1.42 g/g, respectively. Both insect proteins had low solubility (22-30%) at all pHs (3.0, 5.0, and 7.0) measured. Cricket powder had a foaming capacity of 82% and foam stability of 86%, whereas mealworm powder was non-foaming. Values for commercial pea and faba bean protein concentrates were reported for comparative purposes. The insect proteins had similar protein quality as the pulse proteins and had higher solubility at pH 5.0 but were much less soluble at pH 7.0.

Consumer acceptance of edible insects and design interventions as adoption strategy

Edible insects are regarded as one of the most sustainable animal protein sources for human consumption, but for western people insects are a rather unusual food ingredient. In the media, however, insect consumption is gaining increasing attention and people are starting to acknowledge insects as a potential source of protein. The eating of insects, ‘entomophagy’, is bringing new insect food companies, ‘ento-preneurs’ to the market, yet current research is still insufficient and relatively fragmented to support the commercialization of insect-based food products. Therefore, more systematic research approaches are needed in this area. This review article introduces the benefits and challenges of insect-eating, discusses the factors that are known to influence consumer acceptance, and categorizes factors including adoption strategies into a framework that can be applied in future consumer studies on entomophagy. In addition, the article introduces three distinctive examples of design interventions to illustrate how design can contribute as a strategy to support the general adoption of insect foods by western consumers.

Disgusting or Innovative-Consumer Willingness to Pay for Insect Based Burger Patties in Germany

Insects represent an excellent source of food due to their density in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, while their production is associated with lower emissions of greenhouse gases and resource use as compared to other conventional protein sources. In most Western countries, the human consumption of insects is very low and often perceived as culturally inappropriate. In this study, we analyzed the preferences of German consumers for insect-based products to intensify the knowledge about specific consumer segments that are willing to adopt insects into their diet. For this purpose, an online based choice experiment was conducted in 2016, in which respondents chose between an ordinary burger and a burger with a beef burger patty fortified with insect flour. We detect three homogeneous consumer segments in our sample. The largest group of respondents is willing to consume insect-fortified burgers with only a small price discount, while the other respondents had a prohibitively low willingness-to-pay. The readiness of consumers to adopt insects into their diet is strongly related to attitudinal variables, such as preferences for an environmental friendly production method and health aspects. On the other hand, disgust and the aversion towards insects seem to be the main reasons to abstain from eating insects.

Food Preferences in Finland: Sustainable Diets and their Differences between Groups

The world is facing the great challenge of how to feed the increasing and wealthier population sustainably in the future, with already limited natural resources. The existing literature reveals the negative impacts of animal-based diets, and thus global diet changes are required to ensure future food availability. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that food consumption is more than caloric intake—it is based on personal preferences. We assessed how sustainable food choices vary among Finnish citizens. The respondents (n = 2052) answered nine statements about their consumption behavior. We applied quantitative and qualitative methods, and our results indicate that favoring plant-based diets was the highest among people under 30 and above 60 years old. Middle-aged men with high incomes was the most reluctant group to adopt sustainable diets. Health-related issues and origin of food were the most preferred reasons for food choices, while environmental awareness was ranked lower. The key to mainstream sustainable diets lies in the co-benefits —transition towards more sustainable diets among Finns could be possible, if people felt that they can combine the selfish, hedonistic factors (e.g., health, weight loss) and altruistic factors (e.g., ecological benefits) in their everyday diets.

Cattle Production for Exports in Water-Abundant Areas: The Case of Finland

Water scarcity is a severe global threat, and it will only become more critical with a growing and wealthier population. Annually, considerable volumes of water are transferred virtually through the global food system to secure nations’ food supply and to diversify diets. Our objective is to assess, whether specializing water-intensive production for exports in areas with an abundance of natural resources, would contribute to globally resource-efficient food production. We calculated Finland’s virtual water net export potential (four scenarios) by reallocating the present underutilized agricultural land and combining that with a domestic diet change (three scenarios) to maximize the exports of cattle products. Assessed scenarios indicate that the greatest potential to net export virtual water (3.7 billion m3 year−1, 25-time increase to current) was achieved when local production was maximized with domestic and exported feed, and bovine meat consumption in Finland was replaced with a vegetarian substitute. This corresponds to annual virtual water consumption for food of about 3.6 million global citizens (assuming 1032 m3 cap−1 year−1). Therefore our results suggest, that optimizing water-intensive production to water-rich areas, has a significant impact on global water savings. In addition, increasing exports from such areas by decreasing the domestic demand for water-intensive products to meet the nutrition recommendation levels, saves water resources.

European consumers' readiness to adopt insects as food. A review

Edible insects seem one of the more probable responses to the increased quantity of food proteins needed in future prospective related to the increase of human population, mainly in developing countries. Introduction of entomophagy in developed countries, especially in Europe and North America, could help this trend and drive the world food economy to reach that goal. Few articles were published on acceptability of edible insect in European countries, with a large variability of methodologies used. Furthermore, both structure and unstructured (or semi-structured) techniques were analysed and compared. Through this review article, we analysed the different methodologies conducted on European consumers and categorised the studies in relation to the type of analysis chosen, data collection and results obtained. Limitation of the research studies and future recommendations were explored leading to better investigate consumers' acceptance.

Understanding Edible Insects as Food in Western and Eastern Societies

In the forthcoming decades, insects might become an important alternative protein source for human consumption. However, what do consumers think about eating insects? The answer is still not very clear, and large differences exist between Western and Eastern societies. While the former has never really experienced edible insects as food, (some) Eastern countries have already practiced entomophagy for a long time. To better understand consumers' perception in both types of societies, a literature review was carried out. The results show that in the Western countries, the consumption of edible insects will depend primarily on availability in the market (i.e., regulatory framework and industry), product category (i.e., processed or unprocessed, familiar or unfamiliar), communication, and marketing. Nonetheless, more research studies are needed to explore Eastern consumers and the development of the edible insect market and industry in Asian countries.