Using interactive education materials to empower children to be future consumers of alternative proteins: A...

Education is a potential strategy to increase acceptance of alternative proteins (AP) in children, though traditional educational materials show mixed effectiveness. We developed an interactive application that educates on the different types of AP (i.e., plant-based meat, cultivated meat, insect proteins) and their manufacturing processes through a series of games and tasks hosted within a virtual factory setting. We tested the effectiveness of this application versus an educational booklet with the same content. Children (N = 81; 44 = boys; 9-15 years-old) with little perceived awareness of AP were randomly allocated to engage with either educational material. They completed questions measuring perceived knowledge of and willingness-to-try AP before and after engaging with the education materials (pre (T1)-/post (T2)-intervention) and at four-week follow-up (T3). Children were also presented with four plant-based meat samples to assess objective willingness-to-try. Results show significantly longer engagement with the interactive education application compared to the education booklet (p < .001), but there were no significant differences in liking of the materials (p = .210). Perceived knowledge for all AP types significantly improved from pre-to post-intervention (ps < 0.001) and was maintained for cultivated meat and insect proteins at follow-up (no significant difference between T2 and T3). Willingness-to-try cultivated meat significantly increased from pre-to post-intervention (p = .034), but not for plant-based meat or insect proteins (ps ≥ 0.080). There was no significant difference in the overall intake of plant-based meat samples between the two education types. Education, delivered interactively or passively, can increase initial self-reported ratings of perceived knowledge of AP, but repeated engagement may be beneficial to ensure long-term maintenance.