Acceptance of edible insects in gastronomy: the role of food neophobia, neophilia and intercultural sensitivity

Growing population pressures and declining agricultural resources have intensified the search for sustainable food alternatives. In this context, edible insects have gained attention due to their nutritional value and environmental efficiency. This study examines how gastronomy experts evaluate edible insect consumption through the lenses of neophobia, neophilia and intercultural sensitivity. A qualitative research design was employed and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 gastronomy professionals in Turkey. The interview questions were informed by established food-neophobia, food-neophilia and intercultural-sensitivity frameworks. The data were analysed using content analysis with MAXQDA. The findings reveal that neophilia alone does not ensure acceptance of culturally distant foods, while neophobia is strongly shaped by cultural proximity. Intercultural sensitivity emerges as a key interpretive dimension for understanding both tendencies. By integrating these concepts, the study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how cultural evaluation shapes responses to novel foods. The findings further identify product form, cultural familiarity and consumption conditions as factors relevant to willingness to try edible insects.