PROJECT
Reference: CERNAS-IPV/2020/003
Title: EISuFood - Study about food habits and knowledge about edible insects as sustainable foods
Beginning: 1 April 2021
End: 30 September 2022
Project Coordinator: Raquel Guiné (Coordinating Professor, PhD)
Abstract
Insects have been identified as a more sustainable alternative when compared to other
more conventional animal protein sources. In this way, they can contribute to greatly
relieve pressure on the planet and on ecosystems in the imminent need to feed the
world population, which is constantly growing. Many chefs have also joined a trend of
using insects in their culinary preparations, bringing insects to the top gastronomy level.
In particular, they highlight their organoleptic qualities combined with a recognized
nutritional value, evidenced by scientific studies. However, in some markets, insects or
insect-based products are not readily accepted, due to some degree of food neophobia.
In this way it becomes relevant to know the attitudes of consumers in different
countries, perhaps with different socio-cultural identities, so this project aims to study
eating habits, knowledge and attitudes of consumers towards edible insects or products
derived from them. For this purpose, a survey will be carried out, developing an
instrument for data collection adapted to the project objectives. The questionnaire will
be translated into the different languages of the participating countries and applied for
data collection. The data collected will be joined for treatment and production of
material for dissemination in scientific journals, congresses, among others. It is expected
that this project will allow us to better understand consumers' perceptions of this topic,
edible insects.
Context and Objectives
Climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the United
Nations constantly remind of the growing interest in achieving food and nutrition
security, most especially the goals numbers 2 – Erase Hunger, 3 – Establish Good Health
and Well-Being, 14 – Develop Life Below Water and 15 – Advance Life On Land. The
world beef production is still expanding, much owing to the devastation of natural
ecosystems to transform them into pastures for cattle, in a number of countries in South
America. While some attribute livestock a great degree of blame for the increase in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, others state that there is evidence according to which
range livestock production is much more efficient regarding environmental and energy
issues, when compared with all other systems of food production based on land.
Consumers in Western countries usually consume higher amounts of protein when
compared to consumers in underdeveloped countries, with the highest proportion being
from animal origin. Livestock production has a considerable impact on loss of
biodiversity, with consequent biosystems impoverishment; reduction of available
freshwater, need for all forms of live on Earth; climate change, and most especially the
global warming caused by greenhouse gas effect, among others. It is reported that the
consumption of insects as unconventional or additional sources of animal protein can
effectively have many advantages. Firstly, from the nutritional point of view, a wide
variety of edible insects present exceptional nutritive properties. Secondly, insect
production has a much lower impact over the environment when compared with other
sources of animal protein, including lower emissions of gases with greenhouse effect,
lower need of land, more rational use of energy, and reduced needs of freshwater.
Finally, insects can be cultivated in much smaller spaces and insect farms can constitute
an opportunity for the livelihood of poor families.
This project aims to study the eating habits, knowledge and attitudes towards edible
insects and their consumption, either as the whole insect or as part of food formulations,
like for example in the form of insect flour.
To undertake the study, a questionnaire will be prepared by adaptation of previous team
work, and designed according to the outlined goals. The questionnaire will be applied in
all the countries that were invited as partners. By gathering a high amount of responses
from different countries, it is expected to come across valuable and interesting
observations, namely regarding country differences or similarities, with the utmost
interest to produce relevant scientific outputs (research articles published in
international journals and papers for presentation in congresses worldwide).