Exploring New and Modified Rejection-Type Thresholds Using Cricket Snack Crackers

Consumption of edible insects and insect-based foods: A systematic review of sensory properties and evoked emotional response

Low consumer acceptance of edible insects and insect-based products is one of the main barriers to the successful implementation of entomophagy in Western countries. This rejection is mainly caused by consumers' negative emotional responses, psychological/personality traits, and attitudes toward food choices. However, as the role of intrinsic product characteristics on such food choices has not been adequately studied, a systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA method, to analyze studies that have assessed hedonic evaluations, sensory profiling, or emotional responses to edible insects or insect-based products. The majority of studies performed with whole insects and insect flour highlight that insect-based products are more negatively evaluated than control products. Although the sensory properties of insects are affected by species and processing conditions, they are generally negative across sensory dimensions. In particular, insects and insect-based products are generally associated with odor and flavor/taste attributes that are related to old/spoiled food. These negative attributes can be linked to the fat fraction of edible insects, with insect oils being very negatively evaluated by consumers. On the other hand, defatted fractions and deodorized oils are not associated with these negative attributes, further supporting the hypothesis that the fat fraction is responsible for the negative odor and flavor/taste attributes. However, there is still a lack of studies assessing the sensory profile of edible insects and insect-based products, as well as consumers' emotional responses to their consumption. Future studies should focus on the effects of different processing conditions, products incorporating insect fractions (namely protein concentrates/isolates and defatted fractions), and evaluation by target consumer groups.

Consumer perceptions and antioxidant profiling of acidified cold-brewed sorghum bran beverages

Sumac sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) bran contains polyphenolic compounds with health-promoting properties. Functional food product development can add economic value to sorghum bran, but acceptability may be limited by bitter taste. An acidified cold-brewed sorghum bran beverage was developed, and simplified sweetened (SB) and unsweetened (UB) versions were analyzed for antioxidant profiles (total phenolic content, phenolic profiling via HPLC, condensed tannins, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging) and sensory properties. Beverages contained condensed tannins (average of 0.33 mg catechin equivalents per milliliter) along with other flavonoids and demonstrated in vitro antioxidant capacity (3.32-3.96 mmol Trolox equivalents per milliliter). One hundred fourteen consumers, grouped by 6-n-propylthiouracil (bitterness) taster status, rated acceptability (9-point hedonic scales), bitterness intensity (5-point scale), and purchase intent (PI; yes/no) of model beverages. Although the concept was novel, SB was clearly more acceptable to consumers regardless of preference for sweet versus unsweet tea (as a reference product concept). Mean mouthfeel and flavor liking scores were significantly higher for SB (6.2 and 5.1, respectively) than UB (4.8 and 3.0, respectively). Bitterness was suppressed by the sweetness in SB (mean bitterness intensity of 1.8 vs. 2.6 for UB), although 21% of consumers still found it "too bitter." However, consumers' taster status did not affect beverage acceptability nor bitterness perceptions at present phenolic levels (0.53 gallic acid equivalents per milligram). After a sorghum/antioxidant information message, positive PI increased to 56% for SB, impacting more females than males. Enhanced familiarity and effective product messaging can improve acceptability of acidified cold-brewed sorghum bran beverages as a novel functional food product concept. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: New food applications of cereal bran can provide value in terms of byproduct utilization and delivery of health-promoting ingredients. Sorghum bran beverages demonstrated antioxidant activity, and the sweetened formulation showed decreased bitterness and increased acceptability. Consumers were positively influenced by antioxidant information, although most had not previously consumed sorghum.

Effects of other people's facial emotional expression on consumers' perceptions of chocolate chip cookies containing cricket protein

Edible insects are recognized as a potential alternative and sustainable source of high-quality protein for the human diet. Entomophagy is highly related to negative emotions that may cause reluctance to adopt insects as food in Western countries. During human interaction, a person's facial emotional expression (FEE) may influence other people's emotional responses. A person's emotional state may affect his/her food preference and food choice. Understanding how other people's FEE would affect consumers' emotional profiles, liking, and subsequent willingness to try (WTT) and purchase intent (PI) toward insect-containing food products may help increase the acceptance of entomophagy. This study identified emotional responses toward chocolate chip cookies containing cricket protein using valence and arousal scales in order to explore the effects of other people's FEE (positive, negative, and/or sensation seeking) and to find the correlation between consumers' emotional and overall liking (OL) responses for cricket-containing chocolate chip cookies. Predicting PI for such cookies was also performed. For consumers who perceived positive emotion from other people's FEE after watching a short video clip, their emotional feeling was raised on both valence and arousal dimensions, while negative FEE stimulus imparted the opposite effects. The OL scores and emotional intensities after watching the three FEE videos were highly related to consumers' PI. Males compared to females rated the cricket-containing cookies higher on positive emotion intensity, OL, and PI. Among the three FEEs evaluated, the positive emotional stimulus would be beneficial in increasing acceptance, WTT, and PI of insect-containing foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Edible insects are potentially alternative and sustainable sources of high-quality protein for the human diet. Entomophagy is highly related to negative emotions that cause reluctance to adopt insects as food in Western countries. Other people's facial emotional expressions (FEEs) may affect consumer food-evoked emotional profiles, overall liking (OL), and purchase intent (PI). For consumers who perceived positive emotion from other people's FEE, their emotional feeling was raised on both valence and arousal dimensions, and OL scores and emotion intensities were highly related to consumers' PI. Exploiting positive emotional stimuli as demonstrated in this study would be beneficial in increasing acceptance of insect-containing food.

Acceptance of Insect-Based Food Products in Western Societies: A Systematic Review

Consuming insects is a possible alternative to meat consumption that has few detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. Whether novel foods made from insects will become established in Western societies in the coming years depends largely on their acceptance by the respective populations. Numerous studies on the acceptance of insects as a novel food have already been conducted. In this systematic review, the main findings of quantitative, experimental, and tasting studies on the acceptance of insects as a novel food are summarized. The present paper is designed to serve as an orientation for practitioners in the food industry and provides information useful for the design of marketing strategies and target group-oriented product development. In addition, we highlight in which fields future studies could be conducted to further improve the understanding of the acceptance of insects as food in Western societies.

Effects of Tasting and Ingredient Information Statement on Acceptability, Elicited Emotions, and Willingness to Purchase: A Case of Pita Chips Containing Edible Cricket Protein

Sustainable and nutritious alternatives are needed to feed the ever-increasing world population. The successful incorporation of edible-cricket protein (ECP) into foods needs deeper consumer insights. Treatments (plain, Italian, and Cajun pita chips containing 6.9% w/w ECP) were evaluated by subjects for overall liking (OL), emotions, and purchase intent (PI) in three different moments: (1) before tasting, (2) after tasting/before ECP statement, and (3) after tasting/after ECP statement. Attributes’ liking scores were evaluated only after tasting/before ECP statement. Liking scores (mixed-effects ANOVA), emotions, and PI across moments within treatments/across treatments within moments were evaluated. Emotion-based penalty-lift analyses for OL within moments were assessed using two-sample t-tests (p < 0.05). Random forest model analyzed after-tasting informed PI and variables’ importance. Although formulations’ OL and PI were similar across moments, plain and Italian chips had higher after-tasting (before and after ECP statement) OL than the Cajun chips. Moments indirectly affected OL via emotions elicitation. Valence and activation/arousal emotions discriminated across moments for the plain treatment whereas valence and mostly activation/arousal terms discriminated across moments for the Italian and Cajun treatments, respectively. For either formulation or moment, “interested” and “adventurous” positively affected OL. Before and after-tasting attribute liking, “satisfied,” and “enthusiastic” emotions were critical in predicting after-tasting informed PI.

Sucrose detection and discrimination estimated by the analysis of psychometric functions with linear and non-linear models

Sucrose detection and discrimination thresholds were determined by conducting two alternative forced-choice tests with aqueous solutions. The standard models probit and logit, and non-linear were fitted to the empirical psychometric functions. 0, 7 and 15 g/L sucrose solutions were used as standard stimuli in the detection and discrimination experiments (two levels) respectively. Comparison stimuli consisted of aqueous sucrose solutions with concentrations from 0.5 to 25 g/L. Observed absolute threshold was around 2.96 g/L and the difference limen for 7 and 15 g/L standard stimuli was around 2.98 g/L and 5.29 g/L, respectively. Calculated Weber fractions for 7 and 15 g/L standard stimuli were 0.42 and 0.35, respectively. Judges' performance in the discrimination experiment was similar to that observed in the detection experiment. Goodness of fit for probit and logit models was similar. The non-linear model showed a lower average error and demonstrated an excellent predictive ability.

Effect of Disclosed Information on Product Liking, Emotional Profile, and Purchase Intent: A Case of Chocolate Brownies Containing Edible-Cricket Protein

Edible insects, a sustainable and nutritious alternative to conventionally derived proteins, are unfamiliar to Westerners and often associated with negative sentiments. Edible-cricket protein (ECP) added to chocolate brownies (CB) [0% ECP = CBWO (without) vs. 6% w/w ECP = CBW (with)], and disclosed information [no ECP added = (−) vs. ECP with benefits = (+), ECP− and ECP+, respectively] yielded four CB treatments (CBWO−, CBWO+, CBW−, and CBW+). Subjects (n = 112 female and n = 98 male) rated liking, selected emotions before- and after-tasting, and determined consumption (CI) and purchase intent (PI) after tasting. Likings were analyzed with mixed-effects ANOVA and post hoc Tukey’s HSD test. Emotions were evaluated with Cochran’s-Q test and correspondence analysis. Emotions driving or inhibiting overall liking (OL) were assessed with penalty-lift analyses using two-sample t-tests. A random forest algorithm was used to predict PI and estimate variables’ importance. Female’s and male’s expected OL were higher for CBWO− than for CBWO+. Females’ actual OL was higher for CBWO than for CBW regardless of the disclosed information but males’ actual OL was the same across treatments. Females exhibited negative-liking disconfirmation for CBW−. In both tasting conditions, the disclosed information affected treatments’ emotional profiles more than formulation. After-tasting emotions “happy” and “satisfied” were critical predictors of PI.

Effect of Informed Conditions on Sensory Expectations and Actual Perceptions: A Case of Chocolate Brownies Containing Edible-Cricket Protein

Currently, many consumers are reluctant to consume edible-cricket protein (ECP). Chocolate brownie (CB) formulations without (WO) and with (W) 6%w/w ECP (CBWO and CBW, respectively) were presented under two informed conditions: formulated without ECP (ECP-) and formulated with ECP+benefits (ECP+). CBWO- (CBWO presented with the "ECP-" claim), CBWO+ (CBWO presented with the "ECP+" claim), CBW- (CBW presented with the "ECP-" claim), and CBW+ (CBW presented with the "ECP+" claim) were evaluated by 210 consumers for expected and actual attribute liking, and after-tasting consumption and purchase intent. Multi-way ANOVA, principal component analysis, and agglomerative clustering examined liking. Cochran-Q tests compared actual-liking profiles, purchase and consumption intent. Before tasting, CBW- obtained the lowest appearance liking, flavor liking was higher for ECP- than for ECP+ for either formulation, and ECP+ decreased aroma and overall liking only for CBWO. After tasting, CBWO had higher liking than CBW (except for aroma) for either informed condition. Regardless of the formulation, ECP- and ECP+ had similar actual liking. Nevertheless, ECP+ prevented negative disconfirmation for both formulations while ECP- decreased texture liking (for CBWO) and all liking (for CBW) upon tasting. Females' consumption intent was higher for CBWO regardless of the informed condition, but CBW+ achieved a similar purchase intent to CBWO- for both genders.