Consumers’ perception of insect meal as aquaculture feed ingredient

The recently adopted Regulation No 2017/893 authorizes the use of insect proteins originating from seven insect species [black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), common housefly (Musca domestica), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), house cricket (Acheta domesticus), banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) and field cricket (Gryllus assimilis)] in feed for aquaculture fish. To date, many researches have successfully demonstrated that insect meals (IM) can be used as feed ingredient for a variety of fresh and seawater species. However, alongside legislation and scientific knowledge, consumers show increasing interest towards animal breeding, especially for welfare and feeding items. For this reason, we decided to perform a survey (using google forms®) among Italian consumers, in order to understand their perception and acceptance of insects as alternative protein source for aquaculture species. Six hundred and seventy-eight answers were collected. Both males and females (47.8 and 52.2%, respectively) aged from 18 to 75 years attended the questionnaire. Firstly, people were asked for general information (gender, age, country, income) and their food attitudes; only people usually consuming fish flesh could proceed with the subsequent questions (96.5%). For 53% of the interviewees, fish, especially seawater species, represent an important food in their weekly diet, and almost 49% asserted to prefer a meal with fish rather than one without. Nevertheless, half of the people said that they are indecisive when buying fish due to allergy, heavy metals, geographical origin, pollutants, and sustainability of fishery supply chain. To the question “How do you feel knowing that fish eat insects in nature?” the majority answered not to feel nervous (97%), and only 62 people (less than 10%) assured that they would not accept IM as ingredient for aquafeed. Nineteen people (3%) were uncertain, basically because of their lack of knowledge, while the remaining participants affirmed that they would accept IM for feeding farmed fish. Finally, almost 78% believe that the use of IM is linked to the concept of “sustainability” mainly because its production does not directly exploit wild fish, is considered “natural”, and because people consider IM production an environmentally friendly activity. In conclusion, from the present survey it emerged that Italian consumers seem to be ready to accept insect meal as ingredient in aquafeed.