EVALUATION, IN A SENSORY PANEL, OF A CEREAL BAR ENRICHED WITH ATTA SEXDENS (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Abstract
Insects represent the most species-rich group of living beings. They participate in the functioning of ecosystems, providing essential services to our well-being, such as pollination, production of products such as silk and honey, and being a direct source of food. Entomophagy is the term used to describe the use of insects in the human diet. This resource is fully realized because insect farming requires few resources, generates few impacts, and has a low cost/benefit ratio, thus contributing to food security. Cereal bars containing or not containing insects were used to evaluate the possibility of including this item in the menu. The species used in cereal bars was the leafcutter ant Atta sexdens (Linnaeus, 1758). The experiments involved 120 participants. Evaluations were made in five categories: Aroma, Flavor, Texture, Overall Impression, and Purchase Intention. The three sensory panels included recipes A and B. Sometimes, discrepancies were observed between the two recipes, particularly regarding “Purchase Intention,” even though the recipes were the same. Recipe 3B was the only one with the presence of parts of insects of the species Atta sexdens (Linnaeus, 1758). Apparently, the participants noticed the presence of insects, since parts of them were added in a significant proportion. The chi-square test was performed to analyze the data between the parameters in each experiment. Despite the differences observed, they were not significant for experiments 1 and 2. For experiment 3, the only one in which insects were actually added, the test was statistically significant at the 5% level, for “Taste”; “Texture”; “Overall Impression” and “Purchase Intention”. The results provide valuable insights into how cultural factors affect the evaluation of new foods and highlight important methodological considerations in conducting experiments of this type. The central finding was the strong influence of the suggestion on the sensory acceptance of the participants. This highlights the importance of cultural beliefs and expectations in the formation of food preferences. In contrast, those who were open to the idea of consuming insects were more receptive and, in some cases, reported positive acceptance, suggesting that familiarity and a favorable predisposition can lessen the negative impact of psychological suggestion. However, society has evolved, demands have increased, and new values can be instilled in people, such as healthier or more environmentally friendly food. A few decades ago, in Brazil, there were few restaurants that sold oriental food, which contains raw fish. Today, this practice is deeply rooted in our culture. A relevant fact that should be highlighted is the lack of reports of diseases transmitted by insects used in human food, unlike what happens with vertebrate meat, which often, when prepared without cooking, can transmit etiological agents of various diseases.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 Ana Beatriz Conti, Ana Carolina Siqueroli, Ana Lídia Pires Teixeira, Cristiellen Elisa Silva Batista, Daiane de Oliveira Teixeira, Eduarda Moro Alexandre, Gabrielly Quito Campos, Giana Maria Silva Aveiro, Isabela Pereira Roque, Juliana Cassaro Vieira, Lara Quintiliano de Carvalho, Maria Carolina de Souza Minholi, Pedro Machado Pelli, Ramon Marques Macedo, Stefany Letícia Coutinho Lima, Tainá Ribeiro Silva, Thiago Humberto da Silva Pires, Wanessa Eduarda Ribeiro de Jesus, Afonso PelliAuthor(s)
-
Ana Beatriz Conti
-
Ana Carolina Siqueroli
-
Ana Lídia Pires Teixeira
-
Cristiellen Elisa Silva Batista
-
Daiane de Oliveira Teixeira
-
Eduarda Moro Alexandre
-
Gabrielly Quito Campos
-
Giana Maria Silva Aveiro
-
Isabela Pereira Roque
-
Juliana Cassaro Vieira
-
Lara Quintiliano de Carvalho
-
Maria Carolina de Souza Minholi
-
Pedro Machado Pelli
-
Ramon Marques Macedo
-
Stefany Letícia Coutinho Lima
-
Tainá Ribeiro Silva
-
Thiago Humberto da Silva Pires
-
Wanessa Eduarda Ribeiro de Jesus
-
Afonso Pelli