*3.3. Regression Analysis—Reasons*

The participants' responses from all countries showed similarity in which responses were less important to them. Before conducting the multiple linear regression analysis, a covariance was detected between two of the reasons. The idea is disgusting and the thought makes me sick were highly correlated and therefore the "thought makes me sick" was dropped from the models because the term "disgust" was commonly used to describe this emotional construct related to insects [12]. Figure 3 shows the regression coefficients for the seven reasons for not considering eating foods with insect-based components as an ingredient.

"The texture would be bad", was removed from further analysis during the multilinear regression analysis (stepwise procedure) because this variable was not significant and, ultimately, was eliminated from the equation in all but one country (USA). The remaining six reasons were compared and analyzed with the appearance and disgust being the two independent variables that were present in most of the countries' regression equations. Thus, consumers emphasized a sensory factor—the visual appearance of "insect pieces", an emotional factor—disgust, and a psychological belief/trust factor—"insects are not safe to eat", as primary motivations for not eating insect-based products. Recent research has found similar constructs to be barriers for the consumption of insect-based foods (new FOODS). The rest of the variables, insects are dirty/filthy, taste not good and color, not good were small and generally irrelevant reasons that either were co-dependent on other reasons or did not affect the willingness to eat insect-based food products once other considerations were noted.

**Figure 3.** Regression analysis coefficients—the stepwise method.

#### *3.4. Specific Reasons for Not Eating Insect-Based Foods*

### 3.4.1. No Insect Pieces in My Food—All Consumers Considered

When consumers were asked for the reasons that they would not consider eating foods containing insect powder as an ingredient, over 60% of the participants in China, Peru, Australia, UK, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Spain, India, Japan, and USA strongly agree, agree or somewhat agree that the appearance was extremely important and did not want insect pieces in the food. In Mexico and Thailand, the percentages were also considered high. Over 40% of the respondents agreed with the statement, "no insect pieces in my food" (Figure 4).

In most of the countries except for South Africa (ρ = 0.38) and Thailand (ρ = 0.35), the reason "I do not want insect pieces in my food" was highly correlated to "The idea is disgusting" with correlation scores over 0.50. When consumers can see insects or pieces in their food, the food becomes more disgusting. This is a visual sensory cue that should be easy to correct (not seeing insect pieces in my food) by grinding the insects into a powder (flour). Grinding would avoid any visual parts of the insects in the food to be prepared. During the regression analysis, the texture reason was eliminated which confirms that consumers were focusing more into the appearance/visual aspect of the product.

**Figure 4.** The reasons for not eating insect products—"Do not want insect pieces in my food".

3.4.2. The Idea Is Disgusting—All Consumers Considered

More than 50% of the participants in each of the countries, except for Mexico and Thailand, shared the idea that using insects as an ingredient in food is disgusting. Japanese consumers scored this reason the highest out of the six reasons and the highest of all the thirteen countries, that is, 77% of the respondents agree that the idea of eating insect-based products is disgusting. The USA (68%) and Spain (67%) completed the top three countries for this concept (Figure 5).

**Figure 5.** The reasons for not eating insect products—"The idea is disgusting".

The high percentages for disgust align with the regression coefficients showing that the disgust factor is the second most significant reason for not eating insects after the reason "No insect pieces in my food". Therefore, for such products to be successful, it is essential to begin breaking this emotional barrier by developing insect-based products that are familiar to consumers to show that insects can simply be another ingredient as opposed to a contaminant.

There are many foods whose ingredients alone are not appealing to consumers either because they may not be natural, organic, GMO free, etc., [6,22] but may not cause the same level of emotional response in an actual food product. The more exposure to these kinds of typical products made with insect ingredients and education about the benefits of insects as food, the more probability there is to decrease the disgust factor.

### 3.4.3. Insects Are Not Safe—All Consumers Considered

For all the countries, except for Mexico and India, the statement "Insects are not safe to eat" was largely considered to be a neutral statement (Figure 6), although it appeared in some regression coefficients as a negative factor (Figure 3). Most consumers in those countries scored it neither, agree nor disagree. However, 65% of consumers in India agreed to this concept, while in Mexico barely 20% disagreed with that statement. The uncertainty about the safety of insects is a topic that needs further research both from the standpoint of how it impacts the potential use of insect-based foods and the human health perspective. Castro et al. [5] recently reported that people believe insects carry diseases and some people believe themselves to be allergic to insects. Those are powerful reasons to question the safety of insect-based foods for those consumers. Studies have identified that consumers might experience similar allergic reactions to seafood when insects are consumed [23].

**Figure 6.** The reasons for not eating insect products—"Insects are not safe to eat".

Furthermore, research in conjunction with clinical studies is necessary from the human standpoint to prove which specific diseases insects might transmit to humans and what chemical components and parts of the insects could provoke allergic reactions [24]. In addition, conclusive zoonotic diseases need extensive research to diminish the concept that "Insects are not safe".
