Ready for sustainable insect snacks? ;-)

Can also be used in the meat industry! Insect burgers, deep-fried grasshoppers, etc.: Students at the University of Hohenheim examine the attitude of young people. Compared to meat or dairy products, the ecological and climate balance is excellent. Appropriate husbandry? No problem! Insects are also nutritionally convincing thanks to their high protein content and valuable micronutrients. Nevertheless, there are still many reservations in this country against the consumption of mealworms, grasshoppers and co. Reason enough for students at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart to take a closer look at the topic in the "Science Year 2020 - Bioeconomy". Because as an alternative protein source, insects could make an important contribution to the sustainable economy of tomorrow. As part of a Humboldt reloaded project, they examined in more detail how open fellow students from different courses are to this.
 

Why do many people actually eat shrimp but no grasshoppers? Jessica Bartholomä, who has been studying nutritional science at the University of Hohenheim, has been asking this question since she saw a report on the ecological benefits of edible insects.
 

"It doesn't seem to be the taste itself," believes the bachelor student. She has already done the self-test: “What insects taste like actually depends on the method of preparation. Crispy fried and seasoned, for example, they can be a savory snack. In contrast, pasta with insect flour has hardly any flavor of its own. " 
 

Enjoyment is a matter of the head
While the consumption of insects in this country is not least associated with disgust tests on TV, insects are a traditional part of the menu in many regions of Africa, Asia and South America. Rich in protein, but also iron and vitamin A, for example, they can make an important contribution to a balanced diet. 
 

"I believe that in the face of the climate crisis and the growing world population, insects could also play an important role for us in the future for sustainable and healthy nutrition. Individual products such as burger patties or pasta have already made it onto the shop shelf. I'm interested in whether and how attitudes to such niche products change, ”says Jessica Bartholomä. 
 

This is exactly the question in a current Humboldt reloaded project at the Institute for Nutritional Science at the University of Hohenheim. First, the students got an overview of the research situation in an extensive literature search. The students then developed their own online survey together with project supervisor Sandra Flory.

Skepticism still prevails
A total of 140 people aged 19-35 years took part in the anonymous survey: 35 students each from nutritional, social science, technical and natural science courses (including agricultural sciences and medicine). 
 

“Actually, we had suspected that students in nutritional science would be particularly open to the topic. In fact, the opposite was true: Only 3,6% said they had eaten insects before. In the area of ​​social sciences, on the other hand, the share is 40%, ”reports project supervisor Sandra Flory. 
 
When it comes to the question of integrating insects into everyday nutrition, the willingness of students of all courses is equally subdued: on a scale from 1 (= not ready at all) to 5 (= in any case) they move average acceptance values ​​of all four groups between 2,0 and 2,25.
 

The eye is eating
Different types of insects have different appetizing effects on the surveyed students: For example, 99% of the subjects rejected cockroaches, while 50% could imagine eating grasshoppers and grasshoppers. 35%, on the other hand, spurn the consumption of all kinds of insects. 
 
The dosage form also plays a crucial role for many students: 33,6% stated that they only wanted to consume insects when processed. Burger patties achieved the highest acceptance values, followed by insect flour and pasta. The survey participants, on the other hand, were somewhat less open to bread, biscuits or capsules with an insect component. 
 
“36% of the respondents are ready to eat fried insects as a whole. However, only 6,5% of those surveyed insisted that they only want to eat insects in a visible form, ”adds Jessica Bartholomä.

Motive curiosity prevails
In addition, the participants in the Humboldt reloaded project wanted to know from their subjects why they would choose to eat insects. With an approval rating of 64%, curiosity clearly outweighs this. In contrast, environmental and animal protection are only in second place with 46% and only 17% of the students surveyed stated that health was the main motive. 
 
“The results of the project are not representative. Because the Humboldt reloaded project initially focused on filtering out suitable methods and focal points. The students got to know a complete research process, ”explains project manager Sandra Flory. "Nevertheless, the data obtained provide a first impression. In the future it would be interesting to enlarge the sample size or, for example, to compare it with other age groups or social milieus. ”
 
The topic will be deepened, among other things, at the Humboldt reloaded summer school "FUTURE LABS - Redesigning Life" in September. Then students have the opportunity to discuss with international experts about the potential of edible insects for human and animal nutrition, with regard to sustainability and nutritional aspects.
 

Background: Humboldt reloaded
The Humboldt reloaded reform project aims to get students excited about science right from the start. The students work in small research groups with optimal supervision. The projects are carried out in blocks or during the semester over one or two semesters. The starting signal for Humboldt reloaded was given in 2011. In 2014, the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft and the university rector conference Prof. Dr. Martin Blum as initiator of Humboldt reloaded with the Ars legendi Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding Humboldt reloaded in the second funding period from 2016 to 2020 with around 7,5 million euros through the teaching quality pact. 
 

BACKGROUND: Science Year 2020 | 21 - Bioeconomy
In 2020 and 2021, the science year will be dominated by the bioeconomy - and thus a sustainable, bio-based economy. The aim is to produce and use natural substances and resources sustainably and innovatively, thus replacing fossil and mineral raw materials, making products more environmentally friendly and conserving biological resources. This is necessary more than ever in times of climate change, a growing world population and a drastic decline in species. The Bioeconomy Science Year organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) puts the topic in the spotlight.

Bioeconomy is the main theme of the University of Hohenheim in research and teaching. It connects the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, the Natural Sciences and the Economic and Social Sciences Faculties. In the Bioeconomy Science Year, the University of Hohenheim informs experts and the public about the topic in numerous events.

https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/

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