In recent years, the use of insects in food products has increased. Insects are a sustainable ingredient that is high in protein. However, consumption in Western countries is low, and this may be due to poor sensory qualities, expense, availability, and food neophobia. The objectives of this study were to determine Atlantic Canadian consumers’ attitudes toward entomophagy and to assess consumers’ perception of cricket‐based protein powders. There were two phases to this study: in phase one, participants (n = 107) completed a survey about their attitudes toward consuming insects (Specific Beliefs and Attitudes about Insect Consumption Scale created by Ruby, Rozin, & Chan 2015), and in the second phase, participants (n = 102) were asked to evaluate four different protein powders (two contained crickets) using 9‐point hedonic scales and a CATA questionnaire. Then, the participants were again asked to complete the aforementioned survey. Before consuming cricket protein powder, most participants thought that insects were a sustainable protein source, but also thought that the consumption of insects was undesirable. However, after consuming cricket protein powder, the participants were willing to buy cricket powder and were willing to recommend it to their friends. For insect consumption to become acceptable in the Western world, it will need to be integrated slowly to reduce consumers’ fear and negative attitudes. Protein powders are consumed by many people in the Western world and are an excellent candidate to allow for the integration of insects into their diets. Practical Application This study demonstrated that consumers in Atlantic Canada are more willing to eat insects after having tried them in protein powders. Additionally, protein powders represent a familiar context for consumers and allow for the acceptable integration of cricket powder. Consumers are willing to buy and recommend crickets to their friends after consuming them (in a processed form); however, they still have concerns that insects may carry harmful microbes and toxins.

Little research currently exists in the literature on consumers' perceptions of 3D printed foods; thus, present research aimed to investigate this topic. Two focus groups (n = 8 and 12) were conducted to identify what consumers believe about 3D food printing. Responses from the focus groups were used to create an online survey investigating consumer attitudes towards 3D printed foods in comparison with conventional foods, as well as consumer beliefs about 3D food printing. Based on the results of the survey, three clusters were identified: the markedly interested cluster (n = 140), moderately interested cluster (n = 98) and the not interested cluster (n = 91). The markedly interested cluster wanted to know more about 3D printed food, and believed it could reduce the cost of food and benefit people in the future. The moderately interested cluster was excited to try printed food. Conversely, the third cluster believed 3D printed foods were unacceptable and not safe to consume.

This review presents an overview of drying technologies and its impact on the polyphenol content of vegetables and fruits. Polyphenols contribute to many health benefits and can act as antioxidants. Specifically an increased intake of polyphenols has been shown to decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease; furthermore, it has been shown to help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases in humans. Many researchers have reported on the effect of different drying techniques on the polyphenol content in fruits and vegetables. Polyphenol degradation mechanisms proposed in literature and pretreatments that potentially lead to higher retention of polyphenols during drying are also discussed.

BACKGROUND Seaweeds have been eaten in the diets of coastal cultures for centuries; however, consumption of seaweeds has been limited in Western diets owing to undesirable sensory characteristics and lack of familiarity. Apart from healthful bioactive metabolites, seaweeds are good sources of fibre and minerals. They are nearly a complete protein and have a low fat content (mainly mono‑ or polyunsaturated). The objectives were (i) to investigate if the addition of brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, or red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, altered the chemical composition and sensory properties of whole‐wheat bread; and (ii) to determine what percentage the addition of brown or red seaweed to whole‐wheat bread is acceptable to consumers. The two seaweeds were incorporated into separate batches of whole‐wheat bread by percentage weight flour at 0% (control), 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. RESULTS The products containing the highest amounts of A. nodosum and C. crispus had the highest ash and total dietary fibre. A. nodosum and C. crispus breads were acceptable at 4% and 2% levels respectively. The attributes of no aftertaste, soft, and chewy drove consumer liking of the whole‐wheat bread, whereas attributes dry, dense, strong aftertaste, and saltiness detracted from liking. CONCLUSION This project's significance is to demonstrate the acceptability of seaweed in a Western population, which may lay the groundwork to encourage and promote the consumption of seaweed or to exemplify seaweed incorporation into foodstuffs. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Summary In order to sustain the fast‐expanding beer industry, companies need to attract new female consumers. The main objective of this study was to identify the extrinsic and intrinsic attributes that drive female consumers' purchase of beer. A literature review and focus group (n = 6) were conducted, and six attributes were identified as purchase drivers of beer. These attributes included flavour, appearance (colour), packaging, brand, production methods and beer style. These attributes were used to design a choice‐based conjoint analysis survey. The survey was administered to 277 females (aged 35.09 ± 15.2) residing in Nova Scotia (Canada). The results indicated that sweetness has a positive effect on liking. Bitterness has a strong negative effect on liking of beer. Black colour, stouts and macro‐brewed beers also had negative effects on liking of beer products. The consumer clusters showed that generally all of the consumer groups liked sweet beers with low bitterness.