Consumers’ perception of poultry meat from insect-fed chickens: University students focus study

Feeding insects as raw or processed is becoming widespread among poultry farmers due to the high cost of animal feed ingredients. Various factors such as cultural beliefs, level of education, geographical location, gender, and exposure could affect the acceptance or rejection of such meat that are insect-fed. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate consumers’ perception of meat from insect-fed chickens among the youth in the Eastern Cape of South Africa using University students as a case study. A total of 300 respondents from three universities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa were interviewed using structured google form questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-squares tests. Participants answered a total of 14 questions that were based on chicken meat, insect feeds and demographics. Results showed that 54% of the respondents are aware of insect-fed chicken meat. A high percentage (76%) of consumers from all three origins, i.e., rural, semi-urban and urban, suggest a positive perception about chickens eating insects. About 73.3% strongly disagreed that consuming insect-fed chicken meat cause allergies, and 69% of the participants were not concerned about knowing the types of insects used. Only 16% show concern about buying meat from insect-fed chickens. About 60.67% agreed or strongly agreed that insects could increase food for the world population. Among all factors analyzed, the participant’s origin and beliefs significantly influenced their readiness to eat insect-fed chicken meat. Therefore, most consumers in this study supported the concept of feeding chickens with insects to reduce the cost of feeds. Thereby meeting human demand for chicken meat for animal protein, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.