The Consumption of Insects in Switzerland: University-Based Perspectives of Entomophagy

Abstract

Although insects have long been part of the human diet in many countries, they are poorly received and accepted in European and North American countries. Therefore, this cross-sectional observational study, based on a structured questionnaire, aimed to evaluate the level of acceptability of entomophagy among young adults in a Swiss university context. The variable “acceptability of consuming insects” (ACI) was calculated according to the perception of entomophagy of each participant. The ACI was related to various socio-demographic and behavioral aspects. A total of 290 responses were validated and analyzed. The mean ACI score was 3.7 out of 6.0 (SD 1.1). Most participants responded that the most likely reason for eating insect foods was curiosity. The most common reason for not eating such foods was disgust. None of the socio-demographic variables showed a significant association with ACI. Generally, participants in this study showed a potential interest in entomophagy—on a theoretical level, as measured here by the ACI. In practice, however, there are still barriers, including disgust, which contribute to the low consumption of these foods, at least in Switzerland.