How to enhance the acceptability of insects food—A review

Abstract

About 1 billion people worldwide suffer from hunger, so exploring new food sources is very tempting for achieving zero hunger in the world. Edible insects (EIs) may be one of the ways to solve human protein deficiency. Currently, more than 200 species of EIs are consumed by over 2.5 billion people, especially in tropical regions, as part of their regular diets. However, there is still a large rejection in various parts of the world. In this review, we systematically summarize the factors behind the rejection of EIs as well as ways to improve the acceptability of EIs as alternative protein, essential vitamins, and mineral sources. The main goal of this research is to spread the knowledge of the benefits of eating EIs, consumer perception of insects, and enhance its acceptability as an alternative food. Sensory attributes, health-related concerns, and sustainability issues are identified as the key factors affecting consumer acceptability of EIs. Conventional processing methods, such as blanching, drying, roasting, and fermentation, have been used in treating EIs to improve the quality and safety of EIs. Nine strategies were proposed to enhance the acceptability of insects as food, such as promoting food safety, encouraging product development, addressing cultural norms, enhancing the culinary experience, collaborating with restaurants, and increasing public awareness through education. The information in this work will shed more light on the consumption of EIs and pave the way for more research in this area.