Glocal and ecoethical perceptions of engagement with fungi-based food

Fungal fermentation is a promising strategy to secure affordable, nutritious and sustainable food. Encouraging engagement with fungi-based food is crucial to contribute to social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Reflections can trigger a sense of meaning in engaging in activities and with resources. The aim of this mixed methods study was to explore perceptions of whether participants think their own engagement with fungi-based food is consequential. To do so, the study explored ecoethical reflections relating to whether participants thought engaging with fungi-based food is beneficial or not beneficial for the environment. This study also explored glocal reflections of whether participants thought their own engagement with this kind of food is beneficial or not beneficial in ways that extend to people around them (i.e., local population) or people in other parts of the world (i.e., global population). N = 160 participants completed questionnaires. Most participants expressed a positive outlook, believing that embracing fungi-based food could promote increased sustainability and overall well-being for humans and the environment in numerous different ways. The perceptions that participants shared can affect and trigger conscious engagement with fungi-based food locally with awareness of its global impact which, in turn, can promote well-being for individuals and extend to the population level and thereby contribute to efforts at archiving sustainable development. Nevertheless, the findings highlight a necessity for more information to enable individuals to engage in knowledgeable reflections and, ultimately, act upon their values and what is meaningful to them. The results are important for future development and conceptualization of not only fungi-based food but also other food that is expected to contribute to sustainable development.