WASHINGTON — People who are hesitant to try insect-based foods may enjoy the experience more than they expect – and can become more open to expanding their diets in the future, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, examined how consumers respond emotionally and physically to insect-based foods, which are increasingly being explored as a sustainable alternative to traditional animal protein sources. For example, the European Union officially recognized insects as a novel food source in 2018 and has approved several insect food sources since then. The lineup includes yellow mealworms, migratory locusts, house crickets, and lesser mealworms sold frozen, dried, or even powdered.
Lead author Andreia C. B. Ferreira, a PhD candidate at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal, and her colleagues wanted to find out more about how consumers might respond to these new options. To do so, they combined traditional surveys with neuroscience tools that measured participants' brain activity and heart rate while they sampled insect food products.
The study involved 38 adults in Portugal between the ages of 18 and 55 who had never tried insect-based foods before. Participants first completed a survey about their awareness and opinions of insect-based products. They then sampled both an insect protein bar and a cereal bar while researchers recorded their physiological responses using electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG).
The researchers expected participants to have low awareness of insect-based foods, prefer the cereal bar and show stronger physiological reactions to the insect-based product. Instead, the findings revealed that people were often more curious and receptive than expected.
"The findings were very surprising," Ferreira said. "This was really an unexpected result as literature said to us that consumers tend to reject these novel foods. The results show us the relevance of tasting experiments on promoting this new alternative."
To see whether people's expectations affected their reactions, some participants were told the truth about which bar they were eating, while others were told they were eating a cereal bar when it was actually the insect-based bar.
The physiological measurements showed that participants became more attentive and engaged while consuming the insect-based bars. Researchers also observed increases in heart-rate activity during tasting, which they interpreted as signs of heightened arousal and attentiveness. Notably, these patterns appeared even when participants did not know they were eating an insect-based product, suggesting the response was not driven solely by expectations about consuming insects.
After tasting both products, participants were directly asked which bar they preferred. Overall, participants were more likely to choose the insect protein bar than the cereal bar.
The researchers said the findings suggest that direct exposure, such as tasting samples, may play an important role in reducing hesitation around insect-based foods and helping consumers become more comfortable with the idea.
"From a practical point of view, the findings reveal a need to increase communication about insect-based foods as alternatives and novelties in the European market," Ferreira said. "Communication should not only position insect-based food as 'new' but also clearly state its potential nutritional and sustainability-related advantages compared to other protein alternatives."
The findings also suggest that unfamiliar foods may be judged differently after people actually experience them. In this study, participants often expressed uncertainty or surprise when discussing insect-based foods before tasting them, yet many reported positive reactions after trying the product.
The authors emphasized that the study was exploratory and had several limitations, including a relatively small sample size. They also noted that future studies with larger and more diverse groups of participants are needed to better understand how consumers respond to insect-based foods across different cultures and product types.
Article: " Insect-based food: The role of consumer neuroscience in exploring consumer behaviour ," Andreia C. B. Ferreira, PhD candidate, University of Beira Interior; Ricardo Gouveia Rodrigues, PhD, University of Beira Interior; Ana R. Gouveia, PhD, University of Beira Interior; Oliva M. D. Martins, PhD, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança; Hugo A. Ferreira, PhD, University of Lisbon; João Pereira, PhD, University of Beira Interior; and Paulo Duarte, PhD, University of Beira Interior; Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, published online June 15, 2026.
