The impact of a safety certificate on the evaluation of food products containing insects

When introducing insect-based foods, their acceptance relies on consumers’ perception of food safety. Despite being a valuable protein source, edible insects face low acceptance due to health concerns. We conducted an online survey (N = 949) in which participants evaluated a novel food product based on factors as expected taste, safety, and market demand. Each participant assessed an image of a product made from insect, meat, or plant protein, presented with or without a safety certification, and completed several questionnaires. Insect-based products scored significantly lower than meat and vegetarian options regarding overall liking, expected tastiness, willingness to try, market relevance, perceptions of safety, healthiness, and environmental friendliness. Vegetarian products received the highest ratings, particularly for health and sustainability. Certification yielded only a modest effect (primarily in perceived safety and environmental friendliness) and had a stronger impact among women. Regression analyses show that higher food neophobia and food-technology neophobia predicted more negative assessments, with these effects amplified for insect-based items. Persons paying greater attention to food information exhibited more positive responses in the product evaluation. Moreover, disgust sensitivity and concerns about food content were significant negative predictors of willingness to try, regardless of certification. These findings suggest that safety assurances alone cannot easily overcome barriers to insect consumption.