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To better understand caregivers' decisional processes related to offering novel and disliked foods to their infants and toddlers. As part of a parent study on young children's food acceptance that took place in Denver, CO, this secondary analysis used a basic qualitative approach to explore caregivers' decisional processes related to repeated exposure and children's food rejection. English-speaking caregivers of infants and toddlers (aged 6–24 months; n = 106) were recruited via flyers and social media and interviewed (from July, 2017 to January, 2018) during a laboratory visit focused on introducing a novel food. Factors influencing caregiver decisions to (dis)continue offering novel or disliked foods. Using a combined deductive and inductive coding approach, trained researchers coded transcripts and codes, which were reviewed and discussed by all investigators to identify themes. Three major themes (and 2 subthemes) were generated regarding caregivers' decisions about re-offering rejected foods: 1) Caregivers understand that multiple experiences with new foods are needed because children's reactions can be unpredictable and depend upon time, developmental stage, and child traits; 2) Caregivers vary in their persistence and decisions to keep offering foods depending on responsiveness to child cues (sub-theme) and adult-centered beliefs, needs, and decisions (sub-theme); 3) Child food acceptance will change with time, circumstances, and development if you keep trying. Although caregivers are aware of repeated exposure, additional implementation research focused on translating theory into effective home practices could assist caregivers to persist in offering novel or disliked foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Very few studies have directly compared food rejection in children from different countries. • Validity of the English version of the Child Food Rejection Scale was assessed. • The Child Food Rejection Scale can be successfully used in the UK. • We examined cultural differences in food rejection in the UK and France. • UK children are less neophobic and picky than French children. Abstract Although there are numerous studies examining food rejection (neophobia and pickiness), very few studies have directly compared these particular behaviors in children from different countries. Testing children from different countries is important for future research, as there are clear differences between European countries in early feeding practices and child fruit and vegetable consumption. In the present study we aimed to (i) validate the Child Food Rejection Scale in English and (ii) compare children's food neophobia and pickiness in the UK and France. To that aim, the Child Food Rejection Scale was first translated into English and its reliability and validity were assessed. Second, food rejection scores in a UK sample (n = 117) and in a French sample (n = 256) were directly compared to examine cross-cultural differences. Results showed that the Child Food Rejection Scale can be successfully used outside France. Moreover results revealed that UK children are less neophobic and picky than French children. These cultural differences can be useful to inform targeted interventions to change food related behaviors in these different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at unravelling the previously reported negative relationship between inductive reasoning performance and the intensity of food rejection tendency (namely food neophobia and pickiness) in preschoolers. More precisely, the objective of the present study is to determine whether the previously reported correlation between poor inductive reasoning performance and high food rejection score is restricted to the food domain only or extends to other domains (e.g. the artefact domain). To address these questions, we tested 109 preschoolers ( mean age  = 46.90 months). A food rejection score was computed beforehand with a hetero-assessment scale for each subject. Then, the children were asked to perform an induction task followed by a discrimination task on food and artefact stimuli. Results revealed that neophobic children were characterized by poorer induction performance in both the food and the artefact domain compared to their neophilic counterparts. In addition, our results support the hypothesis that inductive reasoning on food stimuli exhibits some sign of domain-specificity. We conclude that the results of the present study pave the way to evidence-based interventions in public health tailored to the specificities of preschoolers’ early food categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are highly valued as food in many cultures but have only recently gained interest in the West as a sustainable alternative to reduce the environmental impact of meat production. Despite the growing consumer interest in insect consumption, there is still a great disparity between curious trying and actual acceptance. The aim of this study was to examine how the product preparation, familiarity and individual traits (e.g. food neophobia) influence the consumer acceptance of insects as food. Dutch consumers (n = 976) evaluated 8 mealworm product images on 4 acceptability measures (product appropriateness, expected sensory-liking, willingness to buy, willingness to try). Product images varied according to mealworm visibility (visible/invisible), carrier flavour (savoury/sweet) and carrier origin (Western/Asian). High product acceptability was not simply achieved by adding mealworms to familiar foods. Acceptability depended very much on the perceived appropriateness of mealworms as food and the perceived appropriateness of the product combination. However, mealworm products were always expected to be inferior to the carrier products, even when visually identical. Familiarity with mealworms and individual traits played a relatively minor role, and influenced the willingness to try more than the other acceptability measures. We conclude that appropriate product design is important but insufficient to achieve consumer acceptance of insects as food in the West. Additional incentives are required to encourage acceptance beyond the mere willingness to try. We discuss the complexities underlying the consumer acceptance of insects as food and reflect on how acceptance might be increased in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible insects have attracted much Western interest in recent years due to their nutritional and environmental advantages. Consumers, however, remain aversive towards a class of items that is not traditionally considered to be food. While the focus is often on the Western disgust, looking at consumer perceptions in a culture that considers insects to be delicious could provide new insights into the psychological and cultural mechanisms that underpin these evaluations. This cross-cultural qualitative study explores how cultural exposure and individual experience contribute towards the contrasting evaluations of insects as food by those who do and do not eat them. Eight focus groups were conducted across two cultures—four in Thailand where insects are part of the local food culture, and four in the Netherlands where insects are generally not recognised as food. Within these cultures, two groups consisted of individuals who have experience with eating insects, and two groups consisted of individuals with little or no experience with insects as food. Cultural exposure created expectations of which species were more appropriate to eat and how they should be prepared, whereas individual experiences determined whether judgements were made based on memories of past eating experiences or based on the visual properties and item associations. This study provides insights into the acceptance and rejection factors of unfamiliar food items and identifies the factors to be considered when introducing novel food items that are not yet culturally acceptable as food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Food preference was weight dependent in marron (Cherax cainii). • Juvenile marron (<30 g) did not consume the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal diet. • Fish meal and copepod consumption was observed in all weight groups. • Larger sized marron spent a longer time resting. The current study examined time spent on different post-feeding activities and food preference of five weight groups (<15 g, 15−29.9 g, 30−44.9 g, 45−59.9 g and 60−100 g) of marron (Cherax cainii , Austin 2002) fed two formulated feed pellets and frozen copepods under controlled laboratory conditions. The experimental design consisted of housing an individual marron representing a weight group per 20 L glass aquarium. Each weight group was replicated five times, thus using 25 aquaria. All marron were fed with three different food types; fishmeal (FM) and black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) based formulated feed at the rate of 2% of respective body weight and frozen copepods at the rate of approximately 300 individuals per aquarium. Time spent in six selected post-feeding activities was measured in seconds. These activities included resting, walking, searching for food, handling and ingestion of copepods, handling and ingestion of formulated feed, and rejection of food. Results showed that the least amount of time was spent on handling and ingestion of FM by all the weight groups. The handling and ingestion of food in weight group >60 g marron were stopped after half an hour of post-feeding. Where, <15 g and 15−30 g marron spent significantly longer time consuming frozen copepods. Weight groups >45 g marron spent the longest time resting. FM and frozen copepods were consumed by all weight groups, however, weight groups <15 g and 15−30 g rejected the BSF. The number of frozen copepods consumed by marron were significantly higher for <30 g marron and lowest in 60−100 g marron weight group. In conclusion, the post feeding activities and feed preference of marron were weight dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We compared food neophobia (FN) across Europe using a child-friendly tool. • The ICFNS is a robust and efficient tool to measure FN in European young consumers. • The tool was able to detect cross-national differences in FN. • FN is linked to lower consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and wholegrain products. • The tool can be useful in interventions aiming to change FN related behaviors among children. Food neophobia (FN) has been extensively explored, especially in children. However, very few studies have compared this food behavior in children from different countries. Considering the clear diversity between European countries in feeding practices and food consumption, it is important to deepen the understanding of cross-national differences in child FN. The aim of this study was to explore and compare FN in five European countries (Finland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and UK) using a food neophobia scale specifically designed for children. Five hundred and twenty-nine children (54% girls) aged 9–12 years were recruited from schools in each country and were asked to complete the Italian Child Food Neophobia Scale (ICFNS, Laureati, Bergamaschi et al., 2015), which was translated into each respective language. Parents (n ≈ 300) completed a food consumption frequency questionnaire for their child, and provided background information. Reliability of the tool was assessed through internal consistency and temporal stability. Total internal consistency was 0.76. When calculated by country, internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha >0.70) for all countries. FN was negatively associated to fruit and vegetable consumption, liking of wholegrain biscuits, and timing of introduction of semi-solid food. There were small but significant cross-national differences in FN with British and Swedish children being the most neophobic and significantly higher in FN than Finnish children, who were the most neophilic. Results indicate that the tool can be successfully used in all the tested countries with children in the age range of 9–12 years. The tool can be useful to measure the effects of interventions aiming at changing food behaviors, such as reducing FN, among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]