Many people not only freely admitted eating human flesh, but were surprised when they heard that Europeans did not eat it. Emil Torday observed: "They are not ashamed of cannibalism, and openly admit that they practise it because of their liking for human flesh", with the primary reason for cannibalism being a "gastronomic" preference for such dishes.
This passage describes the phenomenon of cannibalism, highlighting that some people openly admit to consuming human flesh while others do not. The primary reason given for this behavior is a "gastronomic" preference for such dishes.