Abstract
Despite over a decade of scientific and commercial efforts to promote edible insects in food systems, consumer acceptance remains low, and their role among mainstream food sources is marginal. Existing research on edible insect acceptance has overwhelmingly focused on the sensory qualities of insect-based foods, attributes of consumers and determining factors. More nuanced insights concerning food consumption from interdisciplinary work on edibility formation remain under-represented and selectively applied in the literature on edible insects. This paper addresses this gap by proposing an integrative processual framework for edibility formation that can aid in increasing the acceptance of edible insects and likely applies to other novel or unfamiliar foods. The framework was developed through a five-year participatory action research project in Taiwan exploring the potential of crickets as food and a thematic analysis and integration of key literature. Its application is illustrated through a post-project evaluation. Five interrelated dimensions of edibility formation were elicited that shape both theoretical understanding and practical interventions. The findings suggest that the acceptance of crickets was contingent on preceding processual and multifaceted negotiations around edibility. This study is the first to integrate key theories of edibility formation into one comprehensive conceptual framework and apply it to a case study of edible insects. The framework can be adapted by researchers and practitioners working in contexts where processual and/or participatory approaches are suited to enhance the acceptance of insect-based or other novel foods.
Presenters
Timothy Bernd Wallace SeekingsPostdoctoral Fellow, Research Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, National Science and Technology Council, Taipei, Taiwan Linh Bao Nguyen
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Crickets, Geographies of edibility, Food semiospheres, Foodsensing, Viscerality, Usage context
