Understanding the Influence of Sensory Characteristics on Emotional Responses and Acceptance of Insect-Based Spreads

Despite growing interest in insect consumption, consumers' acceptance of insects as a food source remains low due to strong negative emotions like fear and disgust. Incorporating invisible insect (e.g., insect powder) into regular foods could address this reluctance. This study aimed to explore the impact of sensory characteristics on emotional responses, liking, and willingness to eat savory and sweet spreads enriched with insect powder. Savory and sweet spreads were combined with 1.5% and 3% of migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) and house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder. Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) and Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) were used to investigate sensory and emotional characteristics of samples, respectively. Samples containing 1.5% cricket powder mostly resulted in a more positive experience for both spreads, while 1.5% locust powder did not evoke any emotions. On the other hand, the inclusion of 3% insect powder generally evoked negative emotions like disgust and dissatisfaction. Samples containing 1.5% insect powder showed a higher preference compared to 3% ones in both spreads. Tomato taste, tomato aroma, sweet, and sour were key factors in determining the liking for savory spreads, while sweet, strawberry taste, and strawberry aroma played a significant role in the liking of sweet spreads. There was a significant increase in the participants' willingness to eat insect-based foods in the future after tasting them. This study suggests that the inclusion of 1.5% cricket powder shows promise in the development of both sweet and savory spreads.