Entomophagy in Western countries: The role of food neophobia in Italian consumers

Abstract

Nowadays, entomophagy is defined as the practice of consuming insects, and it is producing a relevant interest among scientists because it can become a valid alternative source of proteins. In fact, introducing entomophagy in regular diets can substantially contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and the use of land. Many populations in Eastern and tropical countries traditionally consume edible insects, whereas this practice is not widespread in Western countries. Culture and food neophobia exert a substantial influence on eating habits in some Western countries such as Italy. This thesis aims to investigate to what extent Western people, and, in more detail, Italian consumers are willing to engage in entomophagy and the barriers to the acceptance of this novel food.