Banca de DEFESA: KAREN RODRIGUES ROMANO

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : KAREN RODRIGUES ROMANO
DATE: 31/10/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: online
TITLE:

Consumer perception regarding biscuits containing Jamaican field cricket flour (Gryllus assimilis)

KEY WORDS:

Entomophagy, Jamaican field cricket flour, consumer acceptance, word association, perception, consumer behavior.

PAGES: 189
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos
SUBÁREA: Ciência de Alimentos
SPECIALTY: Avaliação e Controle de Qualidade de Alimentos
SUMMARY:

Entomophagy is currently considered one of the most sustainable, nutritious, and safe alternatives

for ensuring the future global protein supply. Although widely practiced in many Asian countries,

its adoption in Western countries has primarily been limited to animal feed, with growing interest

in introducing insects into human diets. Several European countries and Canada have already

approved insect consumption for human use. Despite being a promising food source, insects are

often unfamiliar to consumers and are associated with negative emotions such as fear or disgust,

which impedes acceptance. However, increasing awareness of the nutritional, medicinal, and

environmental benefits of insects is expected to gradually improve consumer willingness to try

insect-based products. This thesis aimed to develop a chocolate biscuit enriched with Jamaican

field cricket flour (Gryllus assimilis – JFCF) that would be acceptable to consumers. Five studies

were conducted. The first used word association methodology, based on four different stimuli to

explore consumer perception of the insect-based biscuit (IBB). The second study examined whether

pairing messages with product images increased the intention to purchase insect-based foods (IBF),

and whether combining hedonic and health appeals with visual stimuli could mitigate food

neophobia and promote purchase intent, with sustainability perception as a possible mediating

factor. The third study developed six chocolate biscuit formulations containing 0% (control), 3%,

6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% JFCF. These were subjected to consumer acceptance tests in a supermarket

located in Rio de Janeiro. The fourth study examined how message modality (without video versus

with video condition) and the packaging attributes influences on consumer choice of IBB through

choice base conjoint. The fifth study performed physicochemical, microbiological, in vitro

digestibility, and fatty acid analyses on both the commercial cricket flour and the six biscuit

samples. Word association analysis revealed that nutritional stimuli elicited more positive

associations such as “positive hedonic,” “health,” and “nutrition”. Product images slightly

increased purchase intention for IBFs, although food neophobia remained unchanged - even among

neophilic consumers. Participants exposed to health goal expressed higher willingness topurchase and perceived the biscuits as more sustainable. The formulation with 6% BCF received the highest sensory acceptance. Brand and safety had the greatest significant factors that affected

the consumers’ choice for IBB. Microbiological analyses confirmed compliance with ANVISA and

EFSA food safety standards. The nutritional composition of the cricket flour ranged from 7.87 to

11.37 g/100 g protein and contained 9.01 g/100 g fiber. Biscuits contained between 16.7 and 19.72

g/100 g lipids and 4.38 to 5.26 g/100 g fiber. Protein digestibility in the flour was 40%, with biscuits

ranging from 43% to 69%. The predominant fatty acids were palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - ***.950.088-** - ROSIRES DELIZA - EMBRAPA
Externa à Instituição - THELMA LUCCHESE CHEUNG - UFMS
Externo à Instituição - JORGE HERMAN BEHRENS - UNICAMP
Externa à Instituição - EVELINE LOPES ALMEIDA - UFRJ
Externo à Instituição - FELIPE REINOSO CARVALHO - UNIANDES