“Novel food”, insetti nel piatto

Abstract

How is change produced in the field of food ? What semiotic processes characterise it ? And what happens when the transformation concerns a dietary proposal that is totally unusual in the context of Western culture, such as edible insects ? This article focuses on the introduction of insects in Italian gastronomic culture, through the analysis of media communication of a few Italian brands. Theoretical questions will emerge concerning the processes of signification of taste and the semiotic construction of collectivity.