Osoyoos, Town in British Columbia, Canada

Researchers at the University of Gottingen and the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada studied consumer preferences of alternative feedstuffs, especially the effect of information regarding algae and insects in the food chain.The research has been published in the 'Food Policy Journal'.The researchers photographed chicken breasts from animals fed with spirulina or insect meal and rendered the photos to imitate market-ready products. The chicken breast products were labelled with health or sustainability claims to further understand preference motivation for alternative feedstuffs.Two groups of respondents (around 1000) then completed an online questionnaire, where they were shown two different chicken breast products and asked which one they would purchase. One group received the information available on the package, such as labelling and price. The other group received additional information regarding the feedstuffs and the feedstuffs were also identified on each product.Information on feedstuffs proved to be an important factor in influencing consumer preferences. Because spirulina drastically alters the colour of the end product, it is necessary to provide information to make these products marketable to consumers.Surprisingly, the respondents liked the chicken breast reared with insect meal the most. However, when the feedstuff was identified, only sustainability-motivated consumers continued to prefer insects as feedstuff."Therefore, the incorporation of insects into feed for poultry should be conducted with full transparency for the end consumer and feedstuffs should be labelled in order to avoid future backlash or mistrust," explained Dr Brianne Altmann, lead researcher."However, the increased exposure through having these products available on the market will likely increase their acceptance," Altmann added.Although spirulina has a history of being used as a feedstuff in some cultures, it is currently cultivated as a health supplement and remains much more expensive than soybean meal. Insects, on the other hand, have recently been certified for use in poultry feed in the European Union."One drawback within the current legislation hindering the sustainability is that insects for feed must be reared on certified feedstuffs, putting insect rearing in direct competition for the rearing of other poultry and livestock," said Altmann."In order to increase the uptake and sustainability of alternative feedstuffs, advances in production, such as growth in scale and the incorporation of waste products, are urgently needed," Altmann concluded.( With inputs from ANI )Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

OsoyoosFOLLOW

Osoyoos, Latest News

American tennis player Jennifer Brady has pulled out of the upcoming Australian Open due to a left foot injury, the organisers said on Sunday. ...

Aurangabad, Dec 18: The MGM Institute of Physiotherapy (IoP) organised an international webinar ‘Enabling Inclusion model and Integrating family-centred ... ...

Gujarat's Surat witnessed the arrival of migratory birds, including brown-headed Gulls, with the advent of the winter season. ...

There is a community spread of the Omicron variant in Canada and new COVID-19 cases are expected to jump soon, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said on Monday. ...

Lagos, Dec 13 The Nigerian government has announced its intention to ban arrivals from Canada, Britain, Argentina and ... ...

Ottawa, Dec 12 Canada has reported 3,589 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the cumulative total to 1,831,344 cases, including ... ...

Ottawa, Dec 11 Canada could see daily Covid-19 cases soar to record levels above 10,000 before January if ... ...

Researchers at the University of Gottingen and the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada studied consumer preferences of alternative feedstuffs, especially the effect of information regarding algae and insects in the food chain. ...