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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Visual Assessment and Information Effects on Consumer Acceptance of Insect-Based Foods: The Role of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sociodemographics

by
Alessandra Verardi
1,*,†,
Paola Sangiorgio
1,†,
Olga Mileti
2,
Mariateresa Chiodo
2,
Noemi Baldino
2 and
Simona Errico
1
1
Laboratory Regenerative Circular Bioeconomy, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Trisaia Research Centre, 75026 Rotondella, Italy
2
Department of Computer Engineering, Modelling, Electronics and Systems (DIMES), University of Calabria (UNICAL), Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Foods 2026, 15(10), 1703; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101703
Submission received: 3 April 2026 / Revised: 21 April 2026 / Accepted: 11 May 2026 / Published: 12 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts)
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Abstract

This study investigates consumer acceptance of insect-based foods, focusing on changes in visual evaluation after information disclosure and the influence of sociodemographic, attitudinal, and knowledge-related factors. An online survey among Italian consumers (n = 350) assessed the visual attractiveness of a cupcake containing 10%w/w Tenebrio molitor flour before (PRE) and after (POST) disclosure of the insect ingredient. Attractiveness decreased from 2.6 to 2.0, with 79% of POST evaluations in the lowest appeal categories. Women expressed more negative POST ratings and experienced a larger decline in attractiveness (Δ = POST−PRE), indicating greater sensitivity to information disclosure than men. The change in attractiveness (Δ) was linked to psychological variables: negative attitudes showed moderate negative correlations with Δ (r ≈ −0.3 to −0.6), whereas higher knowledge of regulatory, nutritional, and environmental aspects showed positive correlations (r ≈ +0.3 to +0.7), mitigating the decrease. Principal Component Analysis revealed two latent dimensions: PC1 (61.6%), representing an attitudinal continuum from aversion to acceptance, and PC2 (33.3%), reflecting differences in awareness. Respondents with higher PC1 and PC2 scores showed attenuated Δ values, indicating greater resilience to the disclosure effect. Overall, findings highlight a gap between visual familiarity and acceptance, shaped by emotions, knowledge, and gender-specific sensitivities.
Keywords: insect-based foods; consumer acceptance; consumer attitudes; consumer knowledge; food neophobia; visual evaluation; sociodemographic factors insect-based foods; consumer acceptance; consumer attitudes; consumer knowledge; food neophobia; visual evaluation; sociodemographic factors
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MDPI and ACS Style

Verardi, A.; Sangiorgio, P.; Mileti, O.; Chiodo, M.; Baldino, N.; Errico, S. Visual Assessment and Information Effects on Consumer Acceptance of Insect-Based Foods: The Role of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sociodemographics. Foods 2026, 15, 1703. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101703

AMA Style

Verardi A, Sangiorgio P, Mileti O, Chiodo M, Baldino N, Errico S. Visual Assessment and Information Effects on Consumer Acceptance of Insect-Based Foods: The Role of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sociodemographics. Foods. 2026; 15(10):1703. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101703

Chicago/Turabian Style

Verardi, Alessandra, Paola Sangiorgio, Olga Mileti, Mariateresa Chiodo, Noemi Baldino, and Simona Errico. 2026. "Visual Assessment and Information Effects on Consumer Acceptance of Insect-Based Foods: The Role of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sociodemographics" Foods 15, no. 10: 1703. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101703

APA Style

Verardi, A., Sangiorgio, P., Mileti, O., Chiodo, M., Baldino, N., & Errico, S. (2026). Visual Assessment and Information Effects on Consumer Acceptance of Insect-Based Foods: The Role of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sociodemographics. Foods, 15(10), 1703. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101703

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