Attitudes Towards Entomophagy: The Atatürk University (Erzurum, Türkiye) Example

Entomophagy" is a term that refers to the consumption of insects as a food source for humans and their use for this purpose. Today, considering both nutrition and sustainability, this term, namely entomophagy, has become an important agenda item. The fact that insects have a long history of existence and are a rich source of protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins forms the basis of this thought, while it is also evident that with the global population increase in the future, it will not be so easy to meet food demands, which are fundamental and vital realities. The inability to meet food supply with current resources, along with the decrease in agricultural land and water sources, has brought entomophagy to the forefront, and insects have begun to be directed as an alternative food source. With this in mind, a survey study was planned in 2023 in which 540 predetermined Google form surveys were conducted at the Erzurum Atatürk University campus (Türkiye), presenting key parameters such as the use of edible insects as a food source, their benefits and drawbacks, to individuals of varying ages, education levels, and income brackets, resulting in a study with diverse standards. The questions were prepared based on people's perspective on insects and whether they recognize them. When evaluating the survey results, it was observed that insects can be consumed, and the data obtained from the research has been presented and evaluated in the form of graphs and tables, expressed as percentages. In this study, it was initially tried to examine whether the insects participating in the survey were recognized or not, and different questions were prepared to clearly establish the point of view. This research aims to assess Türkiye’s readiness for entomophagy by exploring the actors involved in the transition process, the policies adopted, the challenges encountered, the effects of existing socio-economic conditions, and the possible implications of a future hunger crisis.