Abstract

Edible insects are often promoted in Europe as an environmentally sustainable and affordable protein source. This perspective has guided product development toward insect flours blended into conventional foods such as pasta, bread, or pastries. While nutritionally promising, this approach has done little to overcome cultural resistance. By reducing insects to a generic commodity protein, it fails to address the sensory and culinary dimensions that drive consumer acceptance of new foods. Food culture demonstrates that novel ingredients succeed when they are celebrated for their distinctive flavors, textures, and preparation rituals. In France, few consumers could describe the intrinsic taste of snails, frog legs, or scallops, yet these foods enjoy enduring popularity due to the iconic dishes and sauces built around them. We argue that insect-based foods should follow a similar path - developed as flavorful, high-quality culinary ingredients, not as hidden protein supplements. Moreover, positioning insects as premium, aspirational products rather than low-cost substitutes may accelerate adoption. The history of electric vehicles illustrates this dynamic: only when premium models demonstrated desirability and performance did public perception shift. To unlock the full potential of insects for sustainable diets, we must invest in gastronomic innovation, sensory research, and the cultural narratives that transform ingredients into cuisine.

Keywords:Culinary innovation; Edible insects; Food culture; Gastronomy; Sustainable proteins

Introductıon

The use of insects as food has attracted global attention as a strategy to improve food security and reduce the environmental footprint of protein production [1-3]. Insects convert feed to biomass more efficiently than conventional livestock, require less land and water, and can be reared on organic side-streams [4-5]. These advantages have driven a surge of investment in insect farming, particularly in the European Union, where the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued safety assessments for several species such as Tenebrio molitor and Acheta domesticus [6].

Despite this progress, consumer acceptance in Western countries remains limited [7-8]. Early commercial efforts to integrate insects into mainstream diets focused on hiding them in familiar formats - protein powders, pasta, cookies, or snack bars. While such approaches reduce the “yuck factor,” they have not created a lasting shift in perception or significant market demand.

We argue that this strategy overlooks the lessons of food culture: people embrace new foods not because they are efficient or cheap, but because they offer pleasure, identity, and a sense of quality.

Opinion

From Commodity Protein to Culinary Ingredient

Treating insects as a bulk protein source risks relegating them to the role of functional additives competing with soy or pea protein. Such a positioning neither leverages their unique sensory properties nor inspires consumer enthusiasm. Insects should instead be treated as distinctive ingredients with their own flavors, textures, and culinary potential.

In France, the popularity of snails or frog legs owes little to the inherent flavor of the animals themselves. Rather, it stems from the cuisine created around them-the sauces, herbs, garlic butter, and cultural symbolism of refinement. Similarly, scallops (Coquilles Saint-Jacques) became prized not because of their intrinsic taste alone but through the gastronomic culture that developed around their preparation.

The Importance of Culinary Innovation

To integrate insects into Western diets, chefs, food scientists, and sensory researchers should collaborate to:
• Characterize the flavor and aroma profiles of each insect species under different rearing and cooking conditions [9];
• Develop preparation methods and signature dishes that highlight desirable textures and tastes;
• Build new culinary rituals that evoke authenticity, locality, and quality.

This approach parallels the success of sushi in the West - a once unfamiliar raw fish preparation that became mainstream by offering a distinctive sensory and cultural experience.

Premium Positioning as a Catalyst

Efforts to market insect-based products as cheap alternatives to meat or plant protein have struggled. A more promising strategy may lie in premium positioning, emphasizing quality, health, and sustainability.

The electric vehicle market illustrates this principle: for decades, EVs were perceived as niche, underperforming, and utilitarian. Public perception shifted only when premium models, such as those introduced by Tesla, reframed EVs as desirable, high-performance products [10].

A similar paradigm can apply to insect cuisine. Premium, beautifully presented insect-based dishes served in restaurants or gastronomic events can reshape perceptions and create aspirational demand. Once desirability is established, more affordable mass-market formats can follow.

Cultural Narratives and Identity

Food choices are as much about stories and meaning as they are about nutrients. Linking insect-based cuisine to themes of sustainability, terroir, and innovation can help anchor it in culinary culture. Celebrated chefs, food writers, and local producers can play a vital role in making insect dishes part of gastronomic heritage rather than an emergency protein source.

Conclusion

Edible insects offer compelling environmental and nutritional advantages but will only gain widespread acceptance in Western diets if they are presented as desirable, flavorful, and culturally meaningful foods. Hiding insect flours in familiar products is unlikely to achieve this transformation. Instead, by investing in culinary innovation, sensory research, premium positioning, and storytelling, the food sector can elevate insects from a niche protein ingredient to a celebrated component of modern gastronomy.

This shift not only benefits consumer acceptance but also strengthens the economic sustainability of the insect sector, enabling it to compete not just on cost but on experience and value.

Acknowledgement

The author gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the Horizon Europe Programme Women TechEU through the WInScale project (ID 101113565), and Eurostars in collaboration with Vinnova through the TexInsect project (ID E!5150).

Conflict of Interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

• Opinion
• Abstract
• Introductıon
• Opinion
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgement
• Conflict of Interest
• References