Introduction: The consumption of insects has been known for thousands of years but their use for food purposes has not gained ground in the western world. Sustainability is one of
the key factors for introducing positive changes in our environment and behaviour. As suggested in recent literature, one of the possible solutions is the introduction of insects into human diet, which could help reduce global greenhouse emissions. Edible insects would thus be an important source of protein. It is anticipated that the need for the latter will increase, given the expected population growth. Purpose: The purpose of the master's thesis is to investigate the past experiences, the level of knowledge and attitude of Slovenian consumers towards edible insects from the perspective of environment and sustainability, nutrition, impact on health, culture and traditions, and culinary practices. Methods: For the purposes of the thesis, a standardized questionnaire was used which was translated from English into Slovenian and adapted for Slovenian population. The final version of the questionnaire was distributed to the target population in digital format using web tool 1Ka. Results: More than half of the respondents (78.0 % of women and 64.9 % of men) never tried edible insects, but most of them (94.3 %) were aware that insects were used as a food source. A good half of
the respondents (55.9 %) agreed that insects may also be suitable for human consumption, while 14.5 % contradicted this statement. The rest of the participants remained undefined (29.6 %). The majority (> 90.0 %) of all respondents never had the opportunity or didn't want to prepare such foods at home. Discussion and conclusion: It is estimated that in Slovenia, the young males with at least higher education are most receptive to changes in their dietary habits, including the introduction of edible insects or such products into their diet. The participants' previous experience with this type of food does not have a significant
impact on their willingness to introduce the aforementioned food into their diet. In other countries, the consumers are relatively well informed and inclined to include edible insects in their diet.
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