Edible Insects as Food-Insect Welfare and Ethical Aspects from a Consumer Perspective

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Consumer Behavior
• Animal Welfare Ethics

Background:

• Growing consumer concern for animal welfare influences purchasing decisions, with animal husbandry being a key factor.
• Intensive livestock production faces societal criticism, raising questions about the acceptance of intensive insect farming.
• Defining insect welfare criteria is challenging due to species diversity and ongoing debates on insect sentience and pain perception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate consumer perceptions and concerns regarding insect welfare in food and feed production.
• To transfer established animal welfare criteria from livestock to insect farming.
• To explore how public discourse on insects influences consumer perceptions of their welfare.

Main Methods:

• Review and definition of animal welfare criteria for prevalent livestock.
• Adaptation of these criteria to assess insect welfare in mass-rearing conditions.
• Analysis of existing consumer studies on insect welfare and public discourse surrounding edible insects.

Main Results:

• Consumer opinions on insect welfare, particularly concerning rearing and euthanasia, are largely unconsidered.
• Significant differences may exist between vertebrate and insect welfare criteria.
• Public discourse and media representation potentially shape consumer attitudes toward insect welfare.

Conclusions:

• Understanding consumer perceptions is crucial for the acceptance of insect farming.
• Developing species-specific welfare standards for insects is necessary.
• Further research is needed to bridge the gap between scientific understanding and public perception of insect welfare.