Idag existerar en utmaning i att nuvarande livsmedelsproduktion inte kommer räcka till, då den framtida befolkningsmängden i världen beräknas uppgå till 9,7 miljarder människor till år 2050. I arbetet mot en hållbar livsmedelsproduktion med mindre klimatpåverkan, krävs flera olika åtgärder inom livsmedelssystemet, som bland annat en kostförändring. Insekter anses vara en del av lösningen eftersom de har ett högt proteininnehåll samt att insektsproduktion har en låg klimatpåverkan, då det kräver färre resurser i jämförelse med kött- och växtbaserat protein.  Syftet med rapporten var att undersöka människors benägenhet till att konsumera insekter och identifiera existerande barriärer kring insektskonsumtion, samt att utifrån dessa barriärer ge förslag för att öka insektskonsumtionen ytterligare i samhället. De metoder som användes var en litteraturstudie och en digital enkätundersökning, där urvalet av respondenter skedde genom strategierna bekvämlighetsurval och snöbollsurval. Totalt besvarade 124 personer enkäten.  Enkätundersökningen visade att 52,4 procent av respondenterna inte är villiga att införa insekter i kosten medan 47,6 procent var villiga men i olika grad. Respondenterna kunde främst tänka sig äta insekter i bearbetade former som mjöl, tabletter eller olja. De främsta barriärerna som identifierades för insektskonsumtion var främst äckel-faktorn, följt av sociala normer och okunskap. För att övervinna dessa presenterades fem olika förslag: att se över produktdesignen för insektsprodukter, marknadsföra dessa på ett effektivt sätt, erbjuda provsmakning av bakverk eller maträtter innehållandes insekter i matvarubutiker och skolor, ge konsumenter tillgång till väl utformade recept baserade på insekter samt slutligen introducera insekter i kosten hos unga på skola- och förskoleverksamhet.  Frågan är hur villiga människor är att byta ut kött mot en annan typ av proteinkälla som insekter, då exempelvis köttkonsumtion är en djupt rotad norm hos svenskar. För att få ett hållbart livsmedelssystem behövs det även minskas på matkonsumtion och matsvinn samt att återgå till att äta mer land- och årstidsbaserad kost.  Att införa insekter i kosten är en lovande lösning för matsäkerhet för den ökande befolkningen med tanke på att insekter har en låg klimatpåverkan i jämförelse med andra typer av proteinkällor. Dock existerar det i dagsläget ett motstånd för detta och hinder som framförallt äckel gentemot insekter som föda behöver övervinnas. / Today there is a challenge in that current food production will not be enough, as the future population in the world is estimated to amount to 9.7 billion people by the year 2050. In the work towards a sustainable food production with less climate impact, several different measures are required within the food system, which among else a dietary change. Insects are considered to be part of the solution because they have a high protein content and that insect production has a low climate impact, as it requires fewer resources compared to meat and plant-based protein.  The purpose of the report was to investigate people's inclination to consume insects and identify existing barriers around insect consumption, as well as to make suggestions based on these barriers to further increase insect consumption in society. The methods used were a literature study and a digital survey, where the selection of respondents took place through the strategies of convenience sampling and snowball sampling. A total of 124 people answered the survey.  The survey showed that 52.4 percent of the respondents are not willing to introduce insects into the diet, while 47.6 percent were willing but to varying degrees. The respondents could mainly imagine eating insects in processed forms such as flour, tablets or oil. The main barriers identified to insect consumption were mainly the disgust factor, followed by social norms and ignorance. To overcome these, five different proposals were presented: reviewing the product design of insect  products, marketing them effectively, offering tastings of baked goods or dishes containing insects in shops and schools, giving consumers access to well-designed recipes based on insects and finally introducing insects in the diet of young people in school and pre-school activities.  The question is how willing people are to exchange meat for a different type of protein source such as insects, when, for example, meat consumption is a deeply rooted norm among Swedes. In order to have a sustainable food system, it is also necessary to reduce food consumption and food waste and to return to eating a more country- and seasonal-based diet.  Introducing insects into the diet is a promising solution for food security for the increasing population given that insects have a low climate impact compared to other types of protein sources. However, there is currently resistance to this and obstacles that, above all, disgust towards insects as food need to be overcome.

Insektkonsumtion, det vill säga entomofagi, har kommit i rampljuset på senare tid, då insekter ses som ett hållbart livsmedelsalternativ. Insekter har länge konsumerats i delar av världen men varit associerat med neofobi och äckel i västvärlden. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vuxna svenskars attityder kring entomofagi. För att besvara detta, utformades och delades en webbenkät över sociala nätverk, varifrån 237 respondenter rekryterades. Enkäten använde det validerade enkätinstrumentet Entomophagy Attitude Questionnaire (EAQ) sommäter attityder kring äckel gentemot insekter, intresse för insekter samt indirekt entomofagi,vilket är att använda insekter som foder till uppfödning av animalieproduktion. Därtill undersöktes hållbarhetsattityd och om respondenterna hade konsumerat insekter tidigare, förutom demografiska data. Data kvantifierades och överfördes till statistiska analysprogram. Data bestod av 231 giltiga svar som analyserades, tolkades och jämfördes med andra studier som använt EAQ. Resultaten visade att respondenterna hade en positiv inställning mot entomofagi. Mest positiv attityd hade de som tidigare provat insekter. Denna studies fynd ger en bredare indikation på hur introduktion av entomofagi kan göras strategiskt i Sverige.Därtill åskådliggörs framtida forskningsbehov. / The consumption of insects, or entomophagy, has recently become subject to debate due to its nature as a sustainable food practice. While insects have long been consumed in parts of the world entomophagy has been associated with neophobia and has sparked disgust in the west. The purpose of this study is to explore Swedish adults’ attitudes on entomophagy. This was done through a web-based survey which was shared over social networks, and 237 respondents were recruited. The survey was based on the validated survey tool called Entomophagy Attitude Questionnaire (EAQ), which measures attitudes on disgust towards insects, interest towards insects, and indirect entomophagy, which is using insects as feed to other livestock. On top of this, the survey measured attitudes on sustainability and earlier consumption of insects as well as demographical data. Data were quantified and uploaded to a program for statistical analyses, after which data were analysed and interpreted. Out of the 237 survey responses 231 were considered valid and were utilised. Results were compared to other studies using the EAQ. The results showed that the sample had a positive attitude towards entomophagy. The group that had engaged in entomophagy before yielded the most positive attitudes. The results of this study give a broader indication of how entomophagy could strategically be introduced in Sweden. In addition, this study indicates future research needs

The Anthropocene climate crisis and a growing global population present significantchallenges to contemporary food systems and global food security. In response to thesechallenges, a shift towards sustainable and nutritious food alternatives is required. Edibleinsects have emerged as a promising option due to their nutritional profile and potential as asustainable food source. However, despite their acknowledged benefits and widespreadconsumption in many regions, resistance towards insect-based foods persists in Westerncountries. Disgust, unfamiliarity and entrenched food cultures emerge as key obstacles to theadoption of edible insects. To foster acceptance in Western societies, research suggests thatimpactful communication and marketing efforts are essential. This study examines themarketing strategies perceived to be most effective in promoting edible insects and fosteringconsumer acceptance. Insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with foodindustry representatives regarding the challenges and potential avenues for introducing insectproducts in Sweden. The results were compared with previous research and analysed usingconcepts of edibility formation to explain how something can become considered as foodwithin a given sociocultural context. The findings suggest that a mix of practical productinterventions and communication efforts could enhance the acceptance of edible insects.Emphasizing the value of incorporating insects in foods and creating familiar end products,primarily promoted with a focus on the individual benefits of insect consumption. However,widespread acceptance of insects as food in Sweden faces significant barriers that require arange of deliberate and context-specific measures over time. Factors such as availability,competitive pricing, and taste emerge as additional key challenges in this regard.