Acceptance of entomophagy among Canadians at an insectarium

Abstract

As global food systems face mounting sustainability pressures, insects are gaining attention as a promising alternative protein source. Yet, entomophagy remains culturally unfamiliar or stigmatized in many Western countries, including Canada. This study investigates attitudes toward insect consumption among 252 adult visitors to the Montreal Insectarium, a public institution promoting insect education and biodiversity awareness. Participants completed a structured questionnaire evaluating willingness to consume various insect-based foods, motivations and barriers, and demographic predictors of acceptance. Overall, 44% of participants reported openness to eating insects (18% had previously consumed them and 26% were willing to try), though fewer were willing to include them in their regular diet (27%) or prepare them at home (17%). Acceptance was highest for products where insect content was less visible, such as baked goods made with insect flour. Key motivators included curiosity, perceived health benefits, and environmental concern, while major deterrents were disgust, food safety concerns, and insect-related fears. Ordinal logistic regression analyses revealed consistent gender effects, with men significantly more willing than women to consume a variety of insect-based foods. Men also showed greater prior experience with insect consumption and were more likely to include insects in their diets or try them in restaurants. Age alone was not a consistent predictor, but significant interactions with gender revealed a complex interplay between these predictors. Moreover, participants with graduate degrees showed greater openness to experimenting with insect-based ingredients when cooking, and prior insect consumption increased with education among women. Overall, our results show that demographic differences (especially gender and education) shape openness to entomophagy more strongly than age alone, suggesting that targeted outreach could be a better strategy than generalized promotion in encouraging insect-based food adoption.

Introduction

Since the food crisis in 2008, predictions show that the population will exceed 9 billion by 2050, with food production demands increasing by at least 60%. This increase in demand causes significant environmental concerns such as resource depletion, biodiversity loss, climate change, and cropland degradation, all of which cast doubt on the long-term sustainability of conventional agricultural practices and existing food systems. Traditional food production methods, particularly livestock farming, consume large amounts of resources and contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water pollution, and other environmental perturbations. These challenges have prompted growing interest in sustainable and alternative protein sources that can reduce environmental impacts while ensuring food security. One such option is the use of insects as feed and food. Insects offer the potential to produce high-quality proteins with a considerably lower environmental footprint compared to conventional animal-based proteins.

In many parts of the world, insects have long been an important component of the human diet. In regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the consumption of insects is culturally accepted and valued for their rich supply of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. With more than 2,200 edible insect species identified and popular choices including taxonomic groups such as beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and ants, culinary traditions vary widely from simple street snacks to gourmet dishes. In contrast, insect consumption remains rare in Western societies due to deep-seated cultural and psychological barriers such as disgust, neophobia, and misconceptions related to food safety and hygiene. Consequently, cultural background plays a central role in shaping attitudes toward entomophagy. Individuals who come from, or have family ties to, regions where insect consumption is culturally accepted often show greater familiarity with insect foods and lower disgust-based reactions. Despite this, recent shifts in Western public discourse and policy have started to acknowledge the potential of insect-based foods to promote more sustainable diets.

In Canada, efforts to normalize entomophagy are gaining momentum. A growing awareness of environmental issues and the pursuit of innovative dietary options have led local policies to create a more favorable environment for the marketing of insects compared to other Western regions. As a result, there has been an increase in the production of both raw and processed insect-based food products. Local studies have shown that curiosity, nutritional value, and environmental sustainability are key motivators for trying insect foods. The province of Quebec was first introduced to insect consumption through annual tasting events at the Insectarium de Montréal, held from 1993 to 2005. Since 2015, Quebec has experienced rapid growth in the edible insect sector, with data showing an average annual increase of 29% in the number of companies that produced insect-based foods. Despite this growing interest, empirical research on Canadian public attitudes toward entomophagy remains limited. While informal science institutions such as museums and biodiversity centers have the potential to influence public perceptions, few studies have documented the views of individuals who visit such spaces.

This study investigates the attitudes of adult visitors to the Montreal Insectarium toward insect consumption, focusing on their willingness to eat insect-based foods across different contexts, such as at home or in restaurants. Through a structured questionnaire, we explore key motivations and barriers to acceptance, including psychological, cultural, and ecological factors. We also analyze how demographic characteristics, specifically gender, age, and education, shape openness to entomophagy, prior consumption experience, and receptiveness to culinary innovation. While the study does not directly assess the educational impact of the Insectarium, it provides valuable insight into the perceptions of individuals who voluntarily engage with content related to insects and sustainability. In doing so, it contributes to a more nuanced understanding of entomophagy acceptance within a potentially more informed segment of the public.

Methods

Data collection and study design

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine consumer attitudes toward insect-based foods among adults in Canada. Data were collected through an in-person, structured questionnaire administered at the Montreal Insectarium between October 2024 and February 2025. The Insectarium was selected primarily because, to our knowledge, studies on entomophagy have rarely been conducted in venues where the public is explicitly exposed to educational content on insects, biodiversity, and sustainability. This context enabled us to investigate consumer attitudes in a setting where participants may have baseline familiarity with the ecological arguments often advanced in support of insect-based foods, rather than surveying individuals with little exposure to these ideas. In addition, the Insectarium attracts a large and heterogeneous audience of adults, which facilitated efficient recruitment within a limited field period. The institutional partnership also provided access to an established public venue with appropriate infrastructure and logistical support, which made on-site data collection feasible and minimally disruptive. Eligible participants were adults (aged 18 or older) residing in Canada who were able to provide informed consent. A convenience sampling strategy was used: visitors were approached at the end of their visit and briefly informed of the study's purpose.