Food neophobia affects willingness to try novel alternative proteins in young adults in Spain and the Netherlands

As the global population grows and environmental concerns intensify, adopting more sustainable protein sources becomes increasingly crucial. This study examines the influence of food neophobia (FN) and food technology neophobia (FTN) on consumers' willingness to try (WTT) novel alternative proteins, specifically insect- and plant-based proteins (mealworm and mung bean protein) and whey, as a familiar control protein. In this context, it also examines the impact of protein-related health claims and compares the responses of residents in two European countries, Spain and the Netherlands. Through an online survey, the WTT of whey, mung bean and mealworm protein were measured in 200 Dutch and 202 Spanish young adults (18–40 years). Results indicated that WTT was inversely correlated with FN for plant protein and insect protein and FTN for plant and insect protein. While this relationship is significant, it only explains between 5.3 and 12.3 % of the variance. A lower WTT was reported for insects than for plant protein (mean 3.0 vs 5.0 on a 7-point Likert scale). A protein-related health claim did not affect WTT. Spanish consumers showed similar results to Dutch consumers but had lower WTT for insect protein (mean 2.7 vs 3.3). This study reveals a promising opportunity for mung bean protein as a preferred dietary protein source for young adults in the European Union, while also highlighting the challenges in accepting mealworm protein. Transitioning to alternative proteins seems to require a source-specific approach.