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Journal articles on the topic 'Edible insect'
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1
Jeong, Kyoung Yong, and Jung-Won Park. "Insect Allergens on the Dining Table." Current Protein & Peptide Science 21, no. 2 (March 10, 2020): 159–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389203720666190715091951.
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Edible insects are important sources of nutrition, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Recently, edible insects have gained considerable interest as a possible solution to global exhaustion of the food supply with population growth. However, little attention has been given to the adverse reactions caused by insect consumption. Here, we provide an overview of the food allergens in edible insects and offer insights for further studies. Most of the edible insect allergens identified to date are highly cross-reactive invertebrate pan-allergens such as tropomyosin and arginine kinase. Allergic reactions to these allergens may be cross-reactions resulting from sensitization to shellfish and/or house dust mites. No unique insect allergen specifically eliciting a food allergy has been described. Many of the edible insect allergens described thus far have counterpart allergens in cockroaches, which are an important cause of respiratory allergies, but it is questionable whether inhalant allergens can cause food allergies. Greater effort is needed to characterize the allergens that are unique to edible insects so that safe edible insects can be developed. The changes in insect proteins upon food processing or cooking should also be examined to enhance our understanding of edible insect food allergies.
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Ebenebe, C. I., M. I. Amobi, C. Udegbala, A. N. Ufele, and B. O. Nweze. "Survey of edible insect consumption in south-eastern Nigeria." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 3, no. 4 (November 30, 2017): 241–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2017.0002.
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Edible insect consumption called entomophagy is very important in ensuring food security especially in a developing country like Nigeria, but promotion of entomophagy after a long period of adoption of western diets demands a comprehensive inventory of edible insect consumption in the past. At present, there is little or no repository of document with comprehensive information on edible insects consumed in the south eastern states of Nigeria and methods of use is also scarce in literature. It becomes imperative to assess edible insect consumption in the region as a background for promotion of entomophagy in the area. The study used questionnaires and oral interviews to obtain information on types of edible insects consumed, season of harvest, cooking methods, local dishes with edible insects, people’s reaction to edible insect consumption, challenges of entomophagy business and ethno-cultural beliefs on edible insect consumption. Of the 2,000 individuals sampled, 56.4% were males, 43.6% females, with 22.4% children, 19.6% teenagers, 24.2% young adults, 16.6% older adults and 17.2% aged above 60 years of age. The result showed that seventeen insect species belonging to six orders were consumed and harvesting is mainly during the rains, though some recorded year round availability. Restricted seasonal availability and high collecting costs are among the reported barriers to edible insect consumption The most common cooking methods documented in the study were frying or roasting. Six traditional dishes were found to include edible insects. Four ethno-cultural beliefs on some edible insects were also documented. Edible insect farming is therefore recommended as a strategy to bridge the gap between insect protein supply and demand in the region.
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Odongo, W., C. A. Okia, N. Nalika, P. H. Nzabamwita, J. Ndimubandi, and P. Nyeko. "Marketing of edible insects in Lake Victoria basin: the case of Uganda and Burundi." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 4, no. 4 (December 7, 2018): 285–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2017.0071.
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This paper assesses the marketing of edible insects with the aim of understanding the market opportunities, market players, and the value chain of edible insect products in the Lake Victoria basin. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on edible insects marketing from 147 edible insect traders in Uganda and Burundi. Results showed that the most commercialised edible insect was Ruspolia differens. The marketing of edible insects was concentrated in urban areas, where they were considered a delicacy. Household collections were largely consumed within the homes and a small proportion was sold to neighbours. The marketing of edible insects was characterised by minimal value addition, lack of standardisation and adequate market information. We find that edible insects have high market potentials, with demand often outstripping supply throughout the year, and unit prices always higher than competing products such as beef, pork and poultry in the market. Marketing of edible insects therefore presents a livelihood opportunity and option for the communities in the Lake Victoria basin. However, for this to be realised there is need to explore options of adding value to edible insects as well as standardising their packaging, weighing and pricing.
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Jeong, Harry, and Kwangsoo Shin. "What Is Required for Edible Insects to Become Medical Food? From a Health Professionals and Caregivers’ Perspective." Insects 11, no. 6 (June 23, 2020): 388. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11060388.
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The challenge in the edible insect industry is to reverse consumers’ aversion to insects, which is a barrier to their consumption. This requires innovation by users rather than producers. This study aimed to present how edible insects could be promoted as medical foods from the health professionals and caregivers’ perspective. By analyzing the characteristics of the medical foods market, this study found a niche market and plan to develop medical foods using edible insects as an alternative to meet the needs of consumers. The survey participants were caregivers, nurses, and doctors as providers of medical foods. Based on the survey results, this study proposed strategies to reduce consumers’ aversion to edible insects and increase their consumption. To promote insect medical foods, it is required to hold frequent insect-related events and use clean raw materials.
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Kewuyemi, Yusuf Olamide, Hema Kesa, Chiemela Enyinnaya Chinma, and Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo. "Fermented Edible Insects for Promoting Food Security in Africa." Insects 11, no. 5 (May 5, 2020): 283. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11050283.
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Efforts to attain sustainable nutritional diets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are still below par. The continent is envisaged to face more impending food crises. This review presents an overview of common edible insects in Africa, their nutritional composition, health benefits and utilization in connection with fermentation to enrich the inherent composition of insect-based products and offer foods related to existing and generally preferred culinary practice. Attempts to explore fermentation treatments involving insects showed fermentation affected secondary metabolites to induce antimicrobial, nutritional and therapeutic properties. Available value-added fermented edible insect products like paste, powder, sauces, and insect containing fermented foods have been developed with potential for more. Novel fermented edible insect-based products could effectively fit in the continent’s food mix and therefore mitigate ongoing food insecurity, as well as to balance nutrition with health risk concerns limiting edible insects’ product acceptability in SSA.
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Liu, Ai-Jun, Jie Li, and Miguel I. Gómez. "Factors Influencing Consumption of Edible Insects for Chinese Consumers." Insects 11, no. 1 (December 20, 2019): 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11010010.
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Edible insects are often considered a healthier and more sustainable meat substitute and protein source. Many studies have examined factors affecting the consumption behavior towards edible insects among Western consumers. However, little is known about factors influencing consumer behavior towards edible insects in Asian countries even though Asians have a long history of consuming insects. In this study, we surveyed 614 Chinese consumers from Beijing and Nanjing to examine the factors influencing their consumption and purchase behavior of edible insects. We find that insect phobia, feelings of disgust, knowledge level, and social demographic factors such as age, household size, household income and region (Northern or Southern China) are the main factors influencing purchase decisions. In addition, the results indicate that the perceived positive attributes associated with edible insects, the preferences of children in the household, as well as age and knowledge level have positive impacts on consumption frequency. On the other hand, concerns of food safety and the shape of the insects have negative impacts on consumption frequency. Finally, the results suggest that educating consumers to increase knowledge of edible insects increases their probability to purchase insect foods.
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Feng, Y., M. Zhao, W. F. Ding, and X. M. Chen. "Overview of edible insect resources and common species utilisation in China." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 6, no. 1 (February 6, 2020): 13–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2019.0022.
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The custom and culture of entomophagy in China has been preserved since ancient times, with a history going back at least 3,000 years. Presently, more than 300 species of insects with edible value have been taxonomically classified in China. These insect species belong to the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Isoptera, Odonata, Megaloptera, Ephemeroptera, Diptera and Blattaria, with a majority of these species belonging to Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. The most common include silkworm, tussah, Italian honeybee, oriental honeybee, mealworm, wasps, bamboo worm, locust, cicada, diving beetle and black ant. Since 2010, the number of patent applications for these edible insects has increased rapidly, indicating that the development and utilisation of edible insects in China is ongoing. The use of common edible insects primarily involves direct consumption of the insect body. In addition to fresh insects, frozen, canned and dried insects are also sold on the market. Derived extract products, such as protein, oil, chitin and insect health foods remain in the early research and experiment stages, and the current production scale is small. Bees, silkworm, mealworm and oriental migratory locust come from artificial farming, as farming techniques for these insects are well-developed. Although wasps, sand-crawling insects, bean hawkmoths and bamboo worms have been artificially cultured, the necessary technologies are underdeveloped. The majority of edible insects generally accepted by the public are still primarily collected from nature. In view of the current situation of utilisation, some suggestions have been put forward to strengthen the investigation and evaluation of edible insect resources, and research to focus on utilisation methods and artificial rearing technology in China.
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Bear, Christopher. "Approaching Insect Death: Understandings and Practices of the UK’s Edible Insect Farmers." Society & Animals 27, no. 7 (December 11, 2019): 751–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685306-00001871.
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AbstractWhile insects are eaten by around two billion people globally, they are a relatively new addition to the UK’s culinary landscape. A domestic production sector has begun to emerge to supply this new appetite for insects. Social scientists have been quick to explore consumer attitudes to “edible insects” but insect farmers have thus far been largely ignored. This paper addresses this gap by drawing on interviews with the UK’s current and recent edible insect farmers to explore their understandings of, and approaches to, insect death, something about which all participants expressed concern. The paper examines: 1) reasons for farmers’ concerns around how they kill their insects, ranging from anxieties around insect pain to perceived consumer attitudes; and 2) farmers’ ideas about what constitutes a “good” death for insects, and how they incorporate this in their practices.
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Hlongwane, Zabentungwa T., Rob Slotow, and Thinandavha C. Munyai. "Indigenous Knowledge about Consumption of Edible Insects in South Africa." Insects 12, no. 1 (December 31, 2020): 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects12010022.
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Consumption of edible insects is an indigenous practice that has played an essential role in human nutrition across Africa. The traditional use of insects forms an important part of food culture in Africa, and insects are consumed either as a delicacy, emergency, or staple source of food. However, indigenous knowledge about insect consumption is being lost because recent generations have adopted western methods and paid less attention to traditional practices. We conducted 500 questionnaires in five local municipalities in Kwazulu-Natal (KZN), and 122 questionnaires in four local municipalities in Vhembe district in Limpopo, South Africa, to document indigenous knowledge about edible insects’ consumption, collection, and preparation methods used in Limpopo and KZN. Eight insect species belonging to five insect orders were used as food in Limpopo and KZN, with mopane worms (94%) and termites (70%) being the most preferred species by respondents in Limpopo and KZN, respectively. Ninety-five percent of the respondents occasionally consumed insects in Limpopo, while only 28% did so in KZN. Nutritional benefits and tradition were the main reasons for consuming insects. Edible insects are a nutritious diet and play an important role in people’s livelihoods in rural areas. However, there was a notable decline in entomophagy, particularly in KZN. The decline may be related to occidental acculturation, discomfort associated with eating insects, and declining insect availability. To promote entomophagy, the authorities should encourage people to include edible insects in their diets because of their nutritional value. In addition, edible insect flour should be incorporated in food products such as biscuits, bread, energy bars, cereal, and cookies to promote acceptability.
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Moruzzo, Roberta, Simone Mancini, and Alessandra Guidi. "Edible Insects and Sustainable Development Goals." Insects 12, no. 6 (June 15, 2021): 557. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects12060557.
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The insect sector can become an important component of sustainable circular agriculture by closing nutrient and energy cycles, fostering food security, and minimising climate change and biodiversity loss, thereby contributing to SDGs. The high levels of the interaction of the insect sector with the SDGs is clearly illustrated inside the review, analysing all of the SDGs that can have direct and indirect effects on insects. Mapping the interactions between the SDGs goals and insect sector offers a starting point, from which it could be possible to define practical next steps for better insect policy.
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Kinyuru, J. N., and N. W. Ndung’u. "Promoting edible insects in Kenya: historical, present and future perspectives towards establishment of a sustainable value chain." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 6, no. 1 (February 6, 2020): 51–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2019.0016.
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This paper discusses the current state and priorities of Kenya-based research and innovations on insects as food and feed with a view to establishing a vibrant insects’ value chain. The paper is divided into sections that focus on historical insect consumption, farming, utilisation and entrepreneurial priorities. The paper also introduces a new quadrat model for utilisation of edible insects which shows an interrelationship between edible insects, crops, animals and humans. The paper attempts to identify attempts on identifying social and psychological barriers to insects’ acceptance as food and feed since insects are intimately connected to strong cultural and regional values. We conclude with recommendations about the future priorities of edible insect field which include: tracking of production volumes, new innovations to support automation and industrial production, research on consumer attitudes and behaviour that is culturally sensitive, systematic, and large-scale; enactment of national and regional regulations to support the industry and unequivocal acknowledgment of the impacts of developments in the edible insect industry to national and regional development.
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Meutchieye, F., K. E. C. Tsafo, and S. Niassy. "Inventory of edible insects and their harvesting methods in the Cameroon centre region." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2, no. 3 (June 15, 2016): 145–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2015.0082.
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This paper assesses the diversity and the exploitation of edible insects in the Cameroon centre region. To achieve this, 136 regular insects’ harvesters were randomly surveyed in all regional administrative divisions. Eighteen species, mainly caterpillars, are harvested as food. Harvesting and consumption of edible insects are happening throughout the year. The harvesters use 4 methods to collect the insects: (1) semi-domestication; (2) hand picking; (3) light trapping; and (4) net trapping. The harvesting predominantly is a household subsistence activity, although some edible insects are sold. Women and teenagers are the categories involved in edible insect collection. The study is preliminary and further identification of the insect species is needed. However, it constitutes a start for further research work which should focus on nutritional values, marketing chains analysis and pre domestication of identified important species.
13
Varelas. "Food Wastes as a Potential new Source for Edible Insect Mass Production for Food and Feed: A review." Fermentation 5, no. 3 (September 2, 2019): 81. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/fermentation5030081.
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About one-third of the food produced annually worldwide ends up as waste. A minor part of this waste is used for biofuel and compost production, but most is landfilled, causing environmental damage. Mass production of edible insects for human food and livestock feed seems a sustainable solution to meet demand for animal-based protein, which is expected to increase due to rapid global population growth. The aim of this review was to compile up-to-date information on mass rearing of edible insects for food and feed based on food wastes. The use and the potential role of the fermentation process in edible insect mass production and the potential impact of this rearing process in achieving an environmentally friendly and sustainable food industry was also assessed. Food waste comprises a huge nutrient stock that could be valorized to feed nutritionally flexible edible insects. Artificial diets based on food by-products for black soldier fly, house fly, mealworm, and house cricket mass production have already been tested with promising results. The use of fermentation and fermentation by-products can contribute to this process and future research is proposed towards this direction. Part of the sustainability of the food sector could be based on the valorization of food waste for edible insect mass production. Further research on functional properties of reared edible insects, standardization of edible insects rearing techniques, safety control aspects, and life cycle assessments is needed for an insect-based food industry.
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Olarewaju, T. O., L. A. Orumwense, O. S. Oke, A. B. Idowu, and T. E. Adeboye. "Assessment of knowledge on functional values of edible insects in Peri urban communities of Ijebu Ode Local Government area, Ogun State Nigeria." Agro-Science 19, no. 4 (October 28, 2020): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/as.v19i4.1.
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This study examined the knowledge on functional value of edible insect in per urban communities of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area (LGA) in Ogun State. Sixty residents were selected through purposive sampling from 11 communities in the LGA. Primary data collected through administered questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics such as simple percentage and frequency count were used. Hypothesis was tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The results revealed that about half (48.3%) of the respondents were between 31-40 years. A larger percentage was male (61.7%) and Christian (61.7%). Majority (68%) was married and 63.3% possess tertiary education. About one third of the respondents (33.3%) were civil servants and 28.3% earn between ₦41,000-₦60,000. Cricket, termite, palm weevil, yam beetle, caterpillar, silkworm, and locust respectively were the identified indigenous species of insects being consumed by the people. Also, more of the respondents eat crickets followed by locust and then termites. The results further revealed respondents’ knowledge of functional values of edible insects’ consumption and constraints to edible insects’ consumption. The results of the Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed that there is no significant relationship between respondent’s socio-economic characteristics’ and their edible insect consumption at p < 0.05. This study concludes that residents of peri urban communities have good knowledge of functional values of edible insects. It is therefore recommended that there should be more awareness on consumption of edible insects since it is nutritious so that people can benefit from the numerous nutrients of these edible insects.
Key words: functional value, edible insect, Ijebu Ode, pearson product moment correlation
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Pandey, Sonika, and Amrita Poonia. "Insects - An Innovative Source of Food." Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics 55, no. 1 (January 12, 2018): 108. http://dx.doi.org/10.21048/ijnd.2018.55.1.16535.
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Edible insects are high in nutrition due to which they are eaten all around the world. Insect species that is used for human consumption should be selected, managed, and prepared by taking into account the required knowledge in countries where insect consumption is usual. Present evidence indicates that edible insects reared under controlled conditions are expected to cause no additional hazards compared with traditional animal products. They are also considered as a source of economy. Food safety research and regulatory issues should be considered by addressing the insect food chain, in view of species features, insect origins, farm management and environmental conditions.
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Orkusz, Agnieszka, Wioletta Wolańska, Joanna Harasym, Arkadiusz Piwowar, and Magdalena Kapelko. "Consumers’ Attitudes Facing Entomophagy: Polish Case Perspectives." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 7 (April 2, 2020): 2427. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072427.
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Based on high nutritional value and low production costs, edible insects are an excellent and sustainable source of animal proteins. However, completely replacing meat with edible insects requires a change in consumer mentality not only in Poland, but also in other European countries. In western countries, most people reject eating insects, mainly for cultural reasons. Concerning this, the objective of the study was to examine the knowledge, behavior, and attitudes of the Polish community about edible insects and to understand the main factors driving edible insect consumption. The study was held at the Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, Poland and consisted of two parts: The survey (among 464 students) and the tasting session (among 402 participants). The main findings suggest that there is low willingness to adopt edible insects as a meat substitute among Polish students due to the psychological barriers, such as neophobia and disgust. However, the willingness to eat processed insect food (bread, biscuit) is far higher than for unprocessed whole insects. Environmental benefits are the factors that least affected students’ willingness to try edible insects. Additionally, the tasting session of the bread with powdered insects was attended by the vast majority of participants, which indicates that a positive sensory experience can improve the acceptability of insects as food.
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Müller, A., J. Evans, C. L. R. Payne, and R. Roberts. "Entomophagy and Power." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2, no. 2 (June 10, 2016): 121–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2016.0010.
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Edible insects are being framed as a panacea for health, resource and climate challenges, and the ‘entomophagy movement’ is growing rapidly. Yet as the insect ‘solution’ is scaled up, there is a greater focus on technical innovation and less on the structural inequalities that govern who produces within, who controls, and who benefits from the edible insect trade. We ask: To what extent is the promotion of ‘entomophagy’ challenging or reproducing power relations in global food systems? Drawing on evidence from academia, industry, and the local insect trade in Southeast Asia we critically investigate the rising interest in insects as food. We conducted a systematic literature review, a systematic company and product review of products available online, and fieldwork in Thailand where the edible insect market is growing. Our analysis suggests that the emerging edible insects movement is – generally but not exclusively – reinforcing the existing power relations that many of its actors suggest it could challenge. We conclude our paper with recommendations for further research to investigate the disparity between the claims and consequences of this ‘quick-fix’ approach to food systems. Beyond relying on solely technical and market-based solutions, we recommend more ‘power-aware’ approaches in academia and business, accountability and transparency in research and trade, more detailed critical research in different contexts, and the inclusion of marginalised actors in the discourse, as means to realise the potential of edible insects in a democratic way.
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Niassy, S., R. Musundire, S. Ekesi, and A. van Huis. "Edible insect value chains in Africa." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 4, no. 4 (December 7, 2018): 199–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2018.x005.
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This special issue was organised in the context of the 22nd meeting of the Association of African Insect Scientists (AAIS), in Wad Medani, Sudan in 2017. The aim was to ‘support impactful research that will yield genuine edible insects products and sustain value chains that enhance food and nutritional security and support sustained livelihoods in Africa’. The issue is composed of contributions from the following countries: Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. The issue attempted to strengthen the traditional inventory and perception studies and emphasise on contributions that explore entrepreneurial developments of insects use as food and livestock feed. The issue also looked at emerging R&D and innovations to enhance the use of insects to improve food and nutritional security and as a major sector in economic development in Africa.
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Ayensu, Jessica, Reginald Adjetey Annan, Anthony Edusei, and Herman Lutterodt. "Beyond nutrients, health effects of entomophagy: a systematic review." Nutrition & Food Science 49, no. 1 (February 11, 2019): 2–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/nfs-02-2018-0046.
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PurposeEdible insects have emerged as a promising inexpensive option to address malnutrition among vulnerable groups in the world. However, it is not clear whether including insects in diets can improve health outcomes. This paper aimed to investigate the impact of edible insect consumption on human health.Design/methodology/approachA search was conducted in PubMed Central, BioMed Central, Plosone, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Google Search and bibliographies for all human studies on the impact of edible insect consumption on human health published from January 1990 to April 2018.FindingsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Consumption of cereals fortified with edible insects improved iron status and growth in infants and led to the development of life threatening anaphylactic reactions in sensitive people.Practical implicationsEdible insects are nutritious. More rigorous studies are needed to confirm nutrient bioavailability, acceptability and nutritional benefits in humans.Originality/valueThis review shows that the utilization of edible insects as food promotes desirable health outcomes, but caution must be taken to prevent allergic reactions in some cases.
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van Huis, Arnold. "Edible insects are the future?" Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 75, no. 3 (February 24, 2016): 294–305. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0029665116000069.
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The global increase in demand for meat and the limited land area available prompt the search for alternative protein sources. Also the sustainability of meat production has been questioned. Edible insects as an alternative protein source for human food and animal feed are interesting in terms of low greenhouse gas emissions, high feed conversion efficiency, low land use, and their ability to transform low value organic side streams into high value protein products. More than 2000 insect species are eaten mainly in tropical regions. The role of edible insects in the livelihoods and nutrition of people in tropical countries is discussed, but this food source is threatened. In the Western world, there is an increasing interest in edible insects, and examples are given. Insects as feed, in particular as aquafeed, have a large potential. Edible insects have about the same protein content as conventional meat and more PUFA. They may also have some beneficial health effects. Edible insects need to be processed and turned into palatable dishes. Food safety may be affected by toxicity of insects, contamination with pathogens, spoilage during conservation and allergies. Consumer attitude is a major issue in the Western world and a number of strategies are proposed to encourage insect consumption. We discuss research pathways to make insects a viable sector in food and agriculture: an appropriate disciplinary focus, quantifying its importance, comparing its nutritional value to conventional protein sources, environmental benefits, safeguarding food safety, optimising farming, consumer acceptance and gastronomy.
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Dolanchapa Sikdar and Rosalin Nath, Avisikta Ghosh Dastidar, Swagatalakshmi Chakraborty. "Entomophagy: A Future Feed Security System." International Journal for Modern Trends in Science and Technology 6, no. 12 (December 15, 2020): 301–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.46501/ijmtst061256.
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From the point of view of the current environmental situation which leads to non-availability of agricultural land, water resource, emission of greenhouse gases ultimately causing global warming, Entomophagy i.e. practice of eating edible insects comes as a rescue to the future feed security system. Edible insects, considered as an inexhaustible natural resource have larger food value with high content of fat, protein, crude fiber, vitamins and minerals making it nutritionally comparable with other protein sources. Some edible insects also have increased levels of omega-6 & 3 fatty acids. Studies have calculated that livestock rearing leads to about 18% greenhouse gas emission whereas barring a few insects like cockroaches, termites which produce small amount of CH4, others have practically no such harmful environmental impact. Socio- economic picture of edible insect trade comes clearly from South-East Asia with its well-established farms and trade routes. The market value for insects often exceeds from that of its other protein counterparts, as a result of which, insect farming can prove to be a rich source of income for farmers. Insect rearing requires very little technical knowledge and principal investment, so it can be taken on by anyone. In future, as prices of conventional protein rises, insects may well prove to be a cheaper source. Here in this review paper, Insect’s contribution to food security, solution to the problem of protein shortages, recent growth in demand for edible insects, consumer awareness and acceptance of insects as food has been discussed.
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Gorbunova, N. A., and A. N. Zakharov. "Edible insects as a source of alternative protein. A review." Theory and practice of meat processing 6, no. 1 (April 28, 2021): 23–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.21323/2414-438x-2021-6-1-23-32.
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The current state and research priorities in the field of using insects as foods and their components are examined. At present, entomophagy is practiced in Africa, South America and Asia. It is shown that the growing world population, which is increasingly limited in resources upon the rising demand for animal protein, has stimulated the interest to new food sources that can include insects as future alternative sources of animal protein. In the forming global model based on the growing share of renewable energy sources, entomophagy fits in as a renewable source of food energy. Over the last decade, the potential of edible insects as a new ingredient has been studied. It is noted that edible insects can be produced with less environmental impact compared to cattle. Insects have a huge potential at all life cycle stages as a source of nutritional and active substances and are a rich source of animal protein, contain essential amino acids, minerals (K, Na, Ca, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn and P), vitamins (В-group, А, D, Е, К and С) and unsaturated fatty acids. Assimilability of insect protein is 76–98%. Insect carbohydrates are represented mainly by chitin contained in a range from 2.7 mg to 49.8 mg/kg of fresh matter. There are data that different insect species can have immune stimulating, sugar reducing, antioxidant and anti-genotoxic activities, as well as the positive effect in cardiovascular and nervous disorders. In the western countries, different methods of insect processing were developed. The review summarizes advantages and risks of eating insects and legal practices of their consumption. Possible ways and strategies of stimulating edible insect consumption are analyzed taking into account that the majority of population in western countries reject the idea of eating insects. The review of performed studies notes the necessity to eliminate emotional and psychological barriers on the way of accepting edible insect consumption.
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Pal, Partha, and Spandita Roy. "Edible Insects: Future of Human Food - A Review." International Letters of Natural Sciences 26 (September 2014): 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ilns.26.1.
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The practice of eating insects is known as entomophagy. Many animals, such as spiders, lizards and birds, are entomophagous, as are many insects. People throughout the world have been eating insects as a regular part of their diets for millennia. As people in rural areas suffer from under nutrition, especially protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in Africa, Latin America and Asia, alternative nutritional food sources are needed. From ants to beetle larvae – eaten by tribes in Africa and Australia as part of their subsistence diets – to the popular, crispy-fried locusts and beetles enjoyed in Thailand, it is estimated that insect-eating is practised regularly by at least 2 billion people worldwide. More than 1900 insect species have been documented in literature as edible, most of them in tropical countries. The most commonly eaten insect groups are beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, cicadas, leaf and plant hoppers, scale insects and true bugs, termites, dragonflies and flies. The purpose of the present review is to determine the status of present research in the context of the potentiality of insects as alternative food source to cope up with the emerging problem of global food crisis
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Kauppi, Saara-Maria, Ida Nilstad Pettersen, and Casper Boks. "Consumer acceptance of edible insects and design interventions as adoption strategy." International Journal of Food Design 4, no. 1 (April 1, 2019): 39–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/ijfd.4.1.39_1.
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Edible insects are regarded as one of the most sustainable animal protein sources for human consumption, but for western people insects are a rather unusual food ingredient. In the media, however, insect consumption is gaining increasing attention and people are starting to acknowledge insects as a potential source of protein. The eating of insects, ‘entomophagy’, is bringing new insect food companies, ‘ento-preneurs’ to the market, yet current research is still insufficient and relatively fragmented to support the commercialization of insect-based food products. Therefore, more systematic research approaches are needed in this area. This review article introduces the benefits and challenges of insect-eating, discusses the factors that are known to influence consumer acceptance, and categorizes factors including adoption strategies into a framework that can be applied in future consumer studies on entomophagy. In addition, the article introduces three distinctive examples of design interventions to illustrate how design can contribute as a strategy to support the general adoption of insect foods by western consumers.
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Ojha, S., S. Bußler, M. Psarianos, G. Rossi, and O. K. Schlüter. "Edible insect processing pathways and implementation of emerging technologies." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 7, no. 5 (August 13, 2021): 877–900. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2020.0121.
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The processing of insects is paramount to deliver safe and high quality raw materials, ingredients and products for large-scale food and feed applications. Depending upon the nature of the initial material and the desired end product, the processing pathways vary and may include several unit operations currently already used in food and feed processing. Insect processing pathways can involve harvesting, pre-processing, decontamination, further processing, packaging and storage. Several traditional and industrial decontamination methods have been proposed for edible insects, which include smoking, drying, blanching/boiling, marination, cooking, steaming, toasting and their combinations. Further processing steps are employed to produce insect meal, insect flour or extracted insect fractions. Each operation will have a different impact on the chemical and microbiological properties of the final product. Novel food processing technologies (e.g. high pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultrasound and cold plasma) have shown potential to modify, complement or replace the conventional processing steps in insect processing. These technologies have been tested for microbial decontamination, enzyme inactivation, drying and extraction. Further, these are considered to be environmentally friendly and may be implemented for versatile applications to improve the processing efficiency, safety and quality of insect based products. Future research focuses in insect processing are development of efficient, environmentally friendly and low-cost processes; waste minimisation and incorporation of by-products/co-products.
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Barsics, Fanny, Rudy Caparros Megido, Yves Brostaux, Catherine Barsics, Christophe Blecker, Eric Haubruge, and Frédéric Francis. "Could new information influence attitudes to foods supplemented with edible insects?" British Food Journal 119, no. 9 (September 4, 2017): 2027–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bfj-11-2016-0541.
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Purpose Broader acceptance of entomophagy (i.e. human consumption of insects) will depend on factors that impact consumers’ perceptions of edible insects. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a broad-based information session would affect consumers’ perceptions and attitudes about an edible insect product. Design/methodology/approach During a taste testing session, preceded or followed by an information session about entomophagy, participants rated the organoleptic characteristics of two bread samples on nine-point hedonic scales. The two bread samples were identical, though one was faux-labelled as containing an insect product. Findings Generalised linear model (GLM) analysis showed effects of gender, information session exposure, entomophagy familiarity, and entomophagy experience on participants’ ratings of the samples. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney ranked sum tests showed that appearance, flavour, and overall liking were significantly better rated for the bread sample labelled as insect free by participants who attended the presentation a priori. Potential ways to improve information content and delivery in favour of encouraging dietary shifts are discussed. Practical implications This study shows that information about insect-based products could change consumers’ perceptions of such products. The results provide clues regarding how the food industry can adapt communication for target audiences. Originality/value Actual edible insect products were not used in this study. Paradoxically, it is the first to show the impact of an information session on the acceptability of edible insect products, by revealing participants’ perceptual expectations.
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Ribeiro, J. C., B. Sousa-Pinto, J. Fonseca, S. Caldas Fonseca, and L. M. Cunha. "Edible insects and food safety: allergy." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 7, no. 5 (August 13, 2021): 833–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2020.0065.
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Edible insects are a unique food source, requiring extensive allergenic risk assessment before its safe introduction in the food market. In a recent systematic review, crustacean allergic subjects were identified as a risk group due to cross-reactivity mainly mediated by tropomyosin and arginine kinase. Immunologic co-sensitisation to house dust mites (HDM) was also demonstrated, but its clinical significance and molecular mechanisms were unclear. Furthermore, case reports of food allergy to insects were also analysed but lack of contextual information hindered the analysis. The main goal of this review is to provide an update of new information regarding food allergy caused by insects, covering relevant topics considering the guidelines for allergic risk assessment in novel foods. Newly published studies have further confirmed the role of tropomyosin as a cross-reactive allergen between edible insects and crustaceans, although there are some questions regarding the immunoglobulin E (IgE)-reactivity of this allergen in mealworm species. Furthermore, only specific treatments (enzymatic hydrolysis combined with thermal treatments) were able to eliminate IgE-reactivity of edible insects. Primary sensitisation (e.g. to Tenebrio molitor) has also been shown to be an important pathway for the development of food allergies, with responsible allergens being dependent on the route of sensitisation. However, more studies are necessary to better understand the potential of primary sensitisation causing cross-reactivity with other insect species, crustaceans or HDM. The clinical significance and molecular mechanisms involved in cross-reactivity between edible insects and HDM are still unclear, and a major focus should be given to better understand which allergens cause co-sensitisations between HDM and edible insects and what is the risk of HDM-only allergic subjects consuming edible insects. Contextual information about the reported cases of allergic reactions to insects have further demonstrated that insect-rearing workers and subjects with allergic diseases (in particular, food allergy to crustaceans) are the major risk groups.
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Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno, Ruparao T. Gahukar, Sampat Ghosh, and Chuleui Jung. "Chemical Composition, Nutrient Quality and Acceptability of Edible Insects Are Affected by Species, Developmental Stage, Gender, Diet, and Processing Method." Foods 10, no. 5 (May 10, 2021): 1036. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10051036.
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Edible insects have been considered as either nutritious food itemsper se, or as wholesome ingredients to various dishes and components of traditional subsistence. Protein, fat, mineral and vitamin contents in insects generally satisfy the requirements of healthy food, although there is considerable variation associated with insect species, collection site, processing method, insect life stage, rearing technology and insect feed. A comparison of available data(based on dry weight) showed that processing can improve the nutrient content, taste, flavour, appearance and palatability of insects, but that there are additional factors, which can impact the content and composition of insect species that have been recommended for consumption by humans. This review focuses on factors that have received little attention in connection with the task to improve acceptability or choice of edible insects and suggests ways to guarantee food security in countries where deficiencies in protein and minerals are an acute and perpetual problem. This review is meant to assist the food industry to select the most suitable species as well as processing methods for insect-based food products.
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Wilkie, Rhoda M. "‘Minilivestock’ farming: Who is farming edible insects in Europe and North America?" Journal of Sociology 54, no. 4 (December 2018): 520–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1440783318815304.
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An innovative food sector is emerging in North America and Europe: edible insects. Eating insects is not new; farming insects for human consumption is novel. This article provides an overview of entomophagy to contextualise this upsurge in ‘minilivestock’ farming. It also charts the rise of ‘feeder’ insect farms, because their ability to mass rear invertebrates – for exotic pets, reptiles and other insectivores – is of much interest to those starting and intensifying edible insect farms. A descriptive characterisation of frontier farmers will be provided by preliminary profile findings from 17 semi-structured pilot interviews with people with varying experience of rearing feeder and/or food insects. Since conventional livestock workers were the ‘forgotten pillar’ in agricultural research, this article affords timely insights into the socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle interests and farming experiences of ‘entopreneurs’ shaping this new ‘insect industry’.
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Yen, A. L. "Insects as food and feed in the Asia Pacific region: current perspectives and future directions." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 1, no. 1 (January 1, 2015): 33–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2014.0017.
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Western cultures currently struggle to have insects accepted as a human food. This barrier is not as high in many parts of the Asia Pacific region because entomophagy is (or was until recent times) a part of their accepted diets. The region is comprised of many different cultural groups and the degree to which they embraced entomophagy has been determined by dietary needs, cultural considerations, and the availability of insects. While entomophagy has decreased in westernised societies, the demand for edible insects has increased in parts of Asia in association with rising standards of living. An assessment of the use of insects as food and feed in the Asia Pacific region is provided and important knowledge gaps are identified. Edible insects are sourced by three main strategies: wild harvesting, semi-domestication of insects in the wild, and farming. Semi-domestication and farming have the potential to provide a more sustainable food supply, but globally 92% of species are wild harvested. The harvested insects come from all trophic levels, although most of the terrestrial edible insect species are herbivores and most species of edible aquatic species are predators. The increased demand for edible insects puts pressure on the source populations because new technologies are now used to harvest insects more efficiently and to store them safely for longer periods, facilitating the harvesting of greater amounts of insects. This, in combination with either loss of natural habitats or changes to the environment, puts even more pressure on insect populations. The over harvesting of edible insects from different trophic levels could have long term adverse implications for ecosystem processes in Asia Pacific and other regions.
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Muafor, F. J., P. Levang, and P. Le Gall. "A Crispy Delicacy: Augosoma Beetle as Alternative Source of Protein in East Cameroon." International Journal of Biodiversity 2014 (January 28, 2014): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/214071.
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Despite the fact that the exoskeleton of the Augosoma centaurus (Dynastinae) is hard and difficult to chew, this insect is often gathered in Eastern Cameroon for food in periods of availability. Nine ethnic groups in Eastern Cameroon were surveyed to understand the role of this insect in assuring food security, using quantitative and qualitative social science approaches. Both the larvae and adult stages of this beetle are habitually consumed in the areas studied. In total, about 65% of consumers prefer consuming the adults, while 35% prefer consuming the larvae. About 24% of consumers derive the same satisfaction from the consumption of Augosoma or other edible insects. Close to 39% of consumers prefer other edible insects to Augosoma, while 37% prefer the consumption of Augosoma to other edible insects. This beetle usually occurs at a period when other edible insects are not available, therefore constituting a good source of alternative protein in this region where poverty, poaching, and biodiversity erosion are still a major problem. Furthermore, the gathering of this beetle for food is equally a means of biological pest control of raffia plants and a tool to enhance community-based conservation of the areas global biodiversity.
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Mellado-Carretero, J., N. García-Gutiérrez, M. Ferrando, C. Güell, D. García-Gonzalo, and S. De Lamo-Castellví. "Rapid discrimination and classification of edible insect powders using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 6, no. 2 (April 8, 2020): 141–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2019.0032.
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Insects are being proposed as an alternative way to ensure world’s food and feed security. Methods to determine edible insect powder’s origin and species will be needed for quality control purposes. Infrared spectroscopy has been extensively used in rapid chemical fingerprinting of food products. The present research explores a new approach to discriminate and classify commercial edible insect powders using attenuated total reflectance mid-infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis. Infrared spectra of seven commercial edible insect powders from different species (Tenebrio molitor, Alphitobius diaperinus, Gryllodes sigillatus, Acheta domesticus and Locusta migratoria) and origins (the Netherlands and New Zealand) were collected to build up soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) models. SIMCA models clearly discriminated insects by their species and origin linking their differences to lipids and chitin. SIMCA models performance was tested using five spectra of each class not used to build up the training set. 100% correct predictions were obtained for all the samples analysed with the exception of one sample of Alphitobius diaperinus. Infrared spectroscopy coupled to multivariate analysis provided a powerful method for the assurance of insect powder’s authenticity.
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Bermúdez-Serrano, I. M. "Challenges and opportunities for the development of an edible insect food industry in Latin America." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 6, no. 5 (October 26, 2020): 537–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2020.0009.
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Latin America has an old tradition of entomophagy and is currently the second largest market for edible insects in the world. However, the number of start-ups producing edible insects is still very low, when compared to Europe and North America. This review analyses the potential of farming and processing edible insects in Latin America using the systemic competitiveness approach in order to list the main opportunities and challenges for the development of the sector in the region. First, the meta level appears diffuse since there are no clear regional or national strategies towards the development of an insect-based food industry, and despite the tradition of entomophagy, the majority of the urbanised population have a bias against insects. However, there is a huge potential related to reviving the traditional knowledge. The macro level is characterised by a lack of local and international regulation on food safety, production and commercialisation, but there is an opportunity related to the reformed Novel Food Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 2015/2283) that may ease the exports to the European market. In the meso level, although investment and funding of insect-based start-ups are increasing internationally, a lack of research and training institutions is noticeable in the region. Finally, the main constraints identified in the micro level are the high prices of edible insects due to an existing disrupted supply chain and the lack of technology to mass produce insects, while the main opportunity is to develop innovative products based on the traditionally-known organoleptic and functional properties of insects. Indisputably, more efforts must be done in Latin America to take a leadership in the world, boosting the local framework for producing edible insects and promoting entopreneurship. These efforts should be coordinated among all stakeholders involved in the different systemic levels: entrepreneurs, research institutions, government and the society.
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Mwangi, Martin N., Dennis G. A. B. Oonincx, Tim Stouten, Margot Veenenbos, Alida Melse-Boonstra, Marcel Dicke, and Joop J. A. van Loon. "Insects as sources of iron and zinc in human nutrition." Nutrition Research Reviews 31, no. 2 (July 23, 2018): 248–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954422418000094.
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AbstractDietary deficiencies in Fe and Zn are globally widespread, causing serious health problems such as anaemia, poor pregnancy outcomes, increased risk of morbidity and mortality, stunted growth and impaired physical and cognitive development. Edible insects, of which a diversity of over 2000 species is available, are dietary components for about 2 billion individuals and are a valuable source of animal protein. In the present paper, we review the available information on Fe and Zn in edible insects and their potential as a source of these micronutrients for the rapidly growing human population. The levels of Fe and Zn present in eleven edible insect species that are mass-reared and six species that are collected from nature are similar to or higher than in other animal-based food sources. High protein levels in edible insect species are associated with high Fe and Zn levels. Fe and Zn levels are significantly positively correlated. Biochemically, Fe and Zn in insects occur predominantly in non-haem forms, bound to the proteins ferritin, transferrin and other transport and storage proteins. Knowledge gaps exist for bioavailability in the human alimentary tract, the effect of anti-nutritional factors in other dietary components such as grains on Fe and Zn absorption and the effect of food preparation methods. We conclude that edible insects present unique opportunities for improving the micronutrient status of both resource-poor and Western populations.
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Laroche, Perreault, Marciniak, Gravel, Chamberland, and Doyen. "Comparison of Conventional and Sustainable Lipid Extraction Methods for the Production of Oil and Protein Isolate from Edible Insect Meal." Foods 8, no. 11 (November 13, 2019): 572. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods8110572.
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Edible insects represent an interesting alternative source of protein for human consumption but the main hurdle facing the edible insect sector is low consumer acceptance. However, increased acceptance is anticipated when insects are incorporated as a processed ingredient, such as protein-rich powder, rather than presented whole. To produce edible insect fractions with high protein content, a defatting step is necessary. This study investigated the effects of six defatting methods (conventional solvents, three-phase partitioning, and supercritical CO2) on lipid extraction yield, fatty profiles, and protein extraction and purification of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meals. Ethanol increased the lipid extraction yield (22.7%–28.8%), irrespective of the insect meal used or the extraction method applied. Supercritical CO2 gave similar lipid extraction yields as conventional methods for Tenebrio molitor (T. molitor) (22.1%) but was less efficient for Acheta domesticus (A. domesticus) (11.9%). The protein extraction yield ranged from 12.4% to 38.9% for A. domesticus, and from 11.9% to 39.3% for T. molitor, whereas purification rates ranged from 58.3% to 78.5% for A. domesticus and from 48.7% to 75.4% for T. molitor.
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Barre, Annick, Carole Pichereaux, Mathias Simplicien, Odile Burlet-Schiltz, Hervé Benoist, and Pierre Rougé. "A Proteomic- and Bioinformatic-Based Identification of Specific Allergens from Edible Insects: Probes for Future Detection as Food Ingredients." Foods 10, no. 2 (January 30, 2021): 280. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10020280.
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The increasing development of edible insect flours as alternative sources of proteins added to food and feed products for improving their nutritional value, necessitates an accurate evaluation of their possible adverse side-effects, especially for individuals suffering from food allergies. Using a proteomic- and bioinformatic-based approach, the diversity of proteins occurring in currently consumed edible insects such as silkworm (Bombyx mori), cricket (Acheta domesticus), African migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), and giant milworm beetle (Zophobas atratus), was investigated. Most of them consist of phylogenetically-related protein allergens widely distributed in the different groups of arthropods (mites, insects, crustaceans) and mollusks. However, a few proteins belonging to discrete protein families including the chemosensory protein, hexamerin, and the odorant-binding protein, emerged as proteins highly specific for edible insects. To a lesser extent, other proteins such as apolipophorin III, the larval cuticle protein, and the receptor for activated protein kinase, also exhibited a rather good specificity for edible insects. These proteins, that are apparently missing or much less represented in other groups of arthropods, mollusks and nematods, share well conserved amino acid sequences and very similar three-dimensional structures. Owing to their ability to trigger allergic responses in sensitized people, they should be used as probes for the specific detection of insect proteins as food ingredients in various food products and thus, to assess their food safety, especially for people allergic to edible insects.
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Payne, C. L. R., D. Dobermann, A. Forkes, J. House, J. Josephs, A. McBride, A. Müller, R. S. Quilliam, and S. Soares. "Insects as food and feed: European perspectives on recent research and future priorities." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2, no. 4 (October 24, 2016): 269–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2016.0011.
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This paper discusses the current state and priorities of Europe-based research on insects as food and feed, based on presentations at a workshop held in December 2015, and discussions that followed. We divide research into studies that focus on farming, health and nutrition, and those that prioritise psychological, social and political concerns. Edible insects are not necessarily universally beneficial. However, certain food insects can convert organic waste material, and provide nutrient-rich protein for humans and animals. Recent research is not concordant when trying to identify social and psychological barriers to insects as food in Europe, indicating the complexity of the issue of consumer acceptance. Innovative means of marketing insects as food include 3D printing, scientific comics, and the promotion of rural food culture in an urban setting. Edible insects are intimately connected to strong cultural and regional values, and their increasing commercialisation may empower and/or disenfranchise those who hold such values. We conclude with a discussion about the future priorities of edible insect research in Europe. We acknowledge the political nature of the ‘entomophagy’ movement. With legislative change, the insect food industry potential presents an opportunity to challenge the dynamics of current food systems. We identify the following priorities for future research: the need to better understand environmental impacts of insect procurement on both a regional and global scale, to investigate factors affecting the safety and quality of insect foods, to acknowledge the complexity of consumer acceptance, and to monitor the social and economic impacts of this growing industry.
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Verneau, Fabio, Francesco La Barbera, Mario Amato, Roberta Riverso, and Klaus G. Grunert. "Assessing the Role of Food Related Lifestyle in Predicting Intention towards Edible Insects." Insects 11, no. 10 (September 25, 2020): 660. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11100660.
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Although recent literature has shown that switching to an insect-based diet could provide several relevant advantages—from a nutritional, environmental, economic and ecological point of view—the potential growth of insects as everyday food is still unclear. Despite a growing literature on consumer acceptance and product preference for insect-based food, a segmentation of this future and possible market has never been proposed. Therefore, in the present paper, a market segmentation based on the Food Related Lifestyle Scale (FRLS), was performed in order to predict consumers’ willingness to eat (WTE) edible insects. Moreover, the role of perceived behavioural control is taken into account. Results shows that the novelty and benefits of insect consumption have generated much interest in edible insects amongst consumers belonging to the Rational cluster, who showed the highest intention to introduce insects in their diet, thus confirming the presence of a niche of “early adopters”. In addition, perceived behavioural control was the major driver of intention. Implications for attempts to encourage people to incorporate insect-based foods into their diet are discussed, with special reference to the role of marketing campaigns.
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Maciel-Vergara, G., A. B. Jensen, A. Lecocq, and J. Eilenberg. "Diseases in edible insect rearing systems." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 7, no. 5 (August 13, 2021): 621–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2021.0024.
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Due to a swift and continuous growth of the insect rearing industry during the last two decades, there is a need for a better understanding of insect diseases (caused by insect pathogens). In the insect production sector, insect diseases are a bottleneck for every type and scale of rearing system with different degrees of technology investment (i.e. semi-open rearing, closed rearing, industrial production, small-scale farming). In this paper, we provide an overview of insect pathogens that are causing disease in the most common insect species reared or collected for use in food and feed. We also include a few examples of diseases of insect species, which are not (yet) reported to be used as food or feed; those examples may increase our understanding of insect diseases in general and for the development of disease prevention and control measures. We pay special attention to the effect of selected biotic and abiotic factors as potential triggers of insect diseases. We discuss the effect of such factors in combination with other production variables on disease development and insect immunocompetence. Additionally, we touch upon prevention and control measures that have been carried out and suggested up to now for insect production systems. Finally, we point towards possible future research directions with possibilities to enhance the resilience of insect production to insect disease outbreaks.
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Grabowski, Nils Th, Séverin Tchibozo, Amir Abdulmawjood, Fatma Acheuk, Meriem M’Saad Guerfali, Waheed A. A. Sayed, and Madeleine Plötz. "Edible Insects in Africa in Terms of Food, Wildlife Resource, and Pest Management Legislation." Foods 9, no. 4 (April 16, 2020): 502. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods9040502.
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Entomophagy is an ancient and actually African tradition that has been receiving renewed attention since edible insects have been identified as one of the solutions to improve global nutrition. As any other foodstuff, insects should be regulated by the government to ensure product quality and consumer safety. The goal of the present paper was to assess the current legal status of edible insects in Africa. For that, corresponding authorities were contacted along with an extensive online search, relying mostly on the FAOLEX database. Except for Botswana, insects are not mentioned in national regulations, although the definitions for “foodstuff” allow their inclusion, i.e., general food law can also apply to insects. Contacted authorities tolerated entomophagy, even though no legal base existed. However, insects typically appear in laws pertaining the use of natural resources, making a permit necessary (in most cases). Pest management regulation can also refer to edible species, e.g., locusts or weevils. Farming is an option that should be assessed carefully. All this creates a complex, nation-specific situation regarding which insect may be used legally to what purpose. Recommendations for elements in future insect-related regulations from the food hygiene point of view are provided.
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Hlongwane, Zabentungwa T., Rob Slotow, and Thinandavha C. Munyai. "Nutritional Composition of Edible Insects Consumed in Africa: A Systematic Review." Nutrients 12, no. 9 (September 11, 2020): 2786. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu12092786.
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Edible insects are an important protein rich natural resource that can contribute to resilient food security. Edible insects not only play an important role in traditional diets, but are also an excellent source of protein in traditional dishes in Africa. We systematically searched Web-of-Science and Google Scholar from year 2000–2019 for studies on the consumption of insects and their nutritional composition in Africa, resulting in 98 eligible papers, listing 212 edible insect species from eight orders. These insects were rich in protein, fats, and fibre. The highest protein content was reported for Lepidoptera (range: 20–80%). Coleoptera had the highest carbohydrate content (7–54%), while Lepidoptera had the highest fat content (10–50%). Considering the excellent source of nutrition, and potential socio-economic benefits, from edible insects, they can contribute strongly to improved food security, and rural development in developing countries. In addition, edible insects can be used as a sustainable food source to combat food shortages in the future, for example, providing resilience during times of drought or other climate stressors.
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Guiné, Raquel P. F., Paula Correia, Catarina Coelho, and Cristina A. Costa. "The role of edible insects to mitigate challenges for sustainability." Open Agriculture 6, no. 1 (January 1, 2021): 24–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/opag-2020-0206.
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Abstract This review is focused on the utilization of insects as a new opportunity in food and feed products, including their commercialization both in traditional and new markets. It has been suggested that insects are considerably more sustainable when compared with other sources of animal protein, thus alleviating the pressure over the environment and the planet facing the necessity to feed the world population, constantly increasing. Many chefs have adhered to the trend of using insects in their culinary preparations, bringing insects to the plan of top gastronomy, highlighting their organoleptic qualities allied to a recognized high nutritional value. However, in some markets, insects or insect-based products are not readily accepted because of neophobia and disgust. Moreover, the insect markets, farming, and commercialization are experiencing a huge growth, in which the domain of animal feed is undoubtedly a very strong component. The future of insects as human food and animal feed seems promising in view of the recent trends and challenges.
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Rumpold, B. A., and A. van Huis. "Education as a key to promoting insects as food." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 7, no. 6 (September 11, 2021): 949–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2021.x007.
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Children in tropical countries have always eaten insects but are now often discouraged from doing so. Recently, the idea of the consumption of insects has been re-introduced as an answer to malnutrition since edible insects are a potential alternative and sustainable protein and food source. However, in countries where the consumption of insects is not traditional, there is a lack of acceptance as well as skills when it comes to preparing a meal with insects. Examples of experiments from different parts of the world are given, where children in schools are educated about the nutritional and environmental benefits of eating insects. In general, after the experience, children are more positive about the idea of eating insects. It is stipulated that insects as food could be a very good entry point for the discussion about our future food supply. Furthermore, with the increasing commercial production of edible insects, there is an increasing demand for skilled workers in the insect production industry. Essential to the promotion of insect consumption are the development of curricula and educational materials for vocational education, training of insect farmers, and general education in primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary education.
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Tao, J., G. Davidov-Pardo, B. Burns-Whitmore, E. M. Cullen, and Y. O. Li. "Effects of edible insect ingredients on the physicochemical and sensory properties of extruded rice products." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 3, no. 4 (November 30, 2017): 263–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2017.0030.
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Entomophagy, or the practice of consuming insects, can provide a nutritious relief to many malnourished people. Currently, two billion people from over 113 countries consume some 2,000 recorded edible insects as part of their traditional diets. Many of these insects contain adequate amounts of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals that are comparable to commonly eaten livestock. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility of incorporating edible insect flours in an extruded rice product. Four formulations were developed, including cricket or locust flours at 10 or 15% addition levels, respectively. The extrusion was easier to proceed when making the two cricket formulations than making the two locust formulations. This could be attributed to higher fat content and lower dietary fibre in cricket flour, which may have enhanced the extrusion process to some extent. Nutritional analysis suggested these insect rice formulations are good sources of protein, fat, dietary fibre and iron. Physicochemical properties of the novel insect rice products were assessed against a reference, market brown rice. Overall, the insect rice was found to have darker colour than the reference and to be softer and stickier in texture after cooking. Sensory evaluations involving 120 untrained panellists suggested cricket formulations at 10% and 15% levels were well accepted based on colour, aroma, flavour and mouthfeel. Both cricket formulations warrant continuing optimisation, however, the 15% locust formulation was least preferred by the sensory panel. In conclusion, as a staple food providing 20% of the world’s dietary energy and consumed by more than 1 billion people, rice is an ideal vehicle to deliver nutrients carried by edible insects. The incorporation of insect flours in processed foods such as extruded rice products can greatly promote the consumer acceptance by disguising the ‘yuck’ factor associated with intact insects.
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Schrader, J., D. G. A. B. Oonincx, and M. P. Ferreira. "North American entomophagy." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2, no. 2 (June 10, 2016): 111–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2016.0003.
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Eating insects is not a common Northern American practice today. However, in the past a variety of insect species was consumed in Northern America (north of Mexico including Greenland). The aim of this literature review is to provide an historical overview of North American entomophagy based upon both peer and non-peer reviewed sources on this topic. Regional differences in insect consumption and reasons for being underreported are discussed. We show that North American natives, and in certain cases colonists, collected and consumed a large variety of edible insects. These are categorised per order and where available, information on how these species were collected and processed is provided. Lastly, we mention reasons for the renewed interest in edible insects in North America, and make suggestions for future studies.
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Mishyna, M., M. Haber, O. Benjamin, J. J. Itzhak Martinez, and J. Chen. "Drying methods differentially alter volatile profiles of edible locusts and silkworms." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 6, no. 4 (August 11, 2020): 405–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2019.0046.
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In this study, the effect of freeze-drying, oven- and microwave-drying on the volatile profiles and sensory properties of edible locust and silkworm was studied. Fifty-five headspace volatiles were detected, including alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and ketones, with variations in intensity depending on the insect species and drying method. Volatiles from microwave-dried locusts and silkworms were typical for the Maillard reaction, that is in accordance with the significant increase of fluorescence of advanced Maillard products (2.9 and 5.5 times higher than in raw silkworms and locusts, respectively). Comparison of fatty acid composition and Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed signs of oxidation process at different levels depending on the insect. Changes in aroma and its intensity caused by different drying methods were also detected by sensory panellists who rated the samples of oven-dried locusts (2.4) and microwave-dried silkworms (1.9) with the lowest scores. An addition 15% of dried insects to cookies decreased the diversity of the volatiles, changed their intensity and lessened the dissimilarities between cookies with differently dried insect powders. Sensory panellists determined the presence of additional ingredients by higher odour intensity and general changes in overall liking scores of the insect-based cookies. Thus, drying can modify odour and sensory characteristics of locusts and silkworms and, consequently, cookies with these insect species, that should be considered in the processing of insects and formulation of novel insect-based foods.
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Musundire, R., C. J. Zvidzai, C. Chidewe, B. K. Samende, and A. Chemura. "Habitats and nutritional composition of selected edible insects in Zimbabwe." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2, no. 3 (June 15, 2016): 189–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/jiff2015.0083.
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Edible insects are gaining recognition as food with potential of contributing to attainment of household food security. In sub-Saharan Africa, sustainable use of insects as food is threatened by lack of data on host plants and habitatassociations. In addition, lack of nutritional data on most edible insects reduces consumer confidence and limits integration of insect consumption with other food sources. This study was undertaken to review, collate and assembledispersed information of some edible insects of Zimbabwe. Data on species identities, host plants and habitats weregathered for 14 species from reputable literature sources and Bulawayo Natural History Museum records. In addition, nutritional assessments were carried out on 10 widely consumed insects in Zimbabwe. Standard ecological samplingprocedures were used to collect insect specimens. Proximate analyses were conducted following the Association of Official Analytical Chemists standard procedures using dried pulverised material. Majority (60%) of reviewedinsects had reliable host plants and habitats records. More than half of these were recorded in agro-ecosystems. On dry matter basis, protein content ranged from 22%(Gryllotalpa africana) to 55.4% (Gonimbrasia belina); fat content ranged from 10.8% (G. africana) to 41.6% (Macrotermes natalensis). Ash content was >10% in the ground dwelling G. africana (12.6%) and Eulopida mashona larvae (10.9%). Wide species differences were recorded for carbohydrate content; 0.4% in M. natalensis and 47.2% in G. africana. Carbohydrates content was inversely relatedto protein and fat contents for all insects. Energy and fat contents were positively related in all the insects. Overall, insect species from this study have high proximate constituents that can match plant and animal products diets andcan be considered as potential viable alternative nutritious food sources. Findings from this study are expected to promote greater recognition of insects as food in Zimbabwe and encourage up-scaling of their sustainable utilisation.
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Kim, Youn-Jung, Yookyung Kim, and Jung-Soon Han. "Perception of Edible Insect and Insect Foods among Adults." Asian Journal of Beauty and Cosmetology 18, no. 1 (March 27, 2020): 53–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.20402/ajbc.2020.0001.
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Carcea, Marina. "Quality and Nutritional/Textural Properties of Durum Wheat Pasta Enriched with Cricket Powder." Foods 9, no. 9 (September 15, 2020): 1298. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods9091298.
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Edible insects have always been consumed by humans and nowadays they are looked at with interest by the research community as a means to produce food at low environmental cost for a growing and increasingly demanding population. A large number of different species are edible, and they can contribute fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals to the human diet. The absence of specific legislation on the use of insects as food, coupled with the general population’s disgust at the idea of eating insects, are among the limiting factors for the development of insect farming in developed countries. Several consumer studies have concluded that hiding insects in traditional foods can increase people’s willingness to eat insect-based foods. Cereal-based foods such as bread, bakery products, pasta, etc., being so popular worldwide and so widely accepted by the population, have been used by researchers as a carrier for the introduction of different percentages of insect flours to improve their nutritional qualities. The research by Duda et al. on “Quality and Nutritional/Textural Properties of Durum Wheat Pasta enriched with Cricket Powder” is the first recent scientific contribution to the understanding of the nutritional quality and technological effects of the introduction of insect flour in a popular food such as durum wheat pasta.
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Hazarika, Arup Kumar, Unmilan Kalita, Subhash Khanna, Tarali Kalita, and Sangeeta Choudhury. "Diversity of edible insects in a Natural World Heritage Site of India: entomophagy attitudes and implications for food security in the region." PeerJ 8 (November 16, 2020): e10248. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10248.
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Insects not only play a significant role in the ecological process of nature but since pre-historic times have also formed a part of the human diet. With a still growing population and skewed demographic structures across most societies of the world, their role as nutrient-rich food has been increasingly advocated by researchers and policymakers globally. In this study, we examine the edible insect diversity and entomophagy attitudes of ethnic people in Manas National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, located in Assam (India). The study involved a field investigation through which the pattern of entomophagy and the attitude towards insect-eating was studied. Following this, we examined the edible insect diversity and abundance at different sampling points. A total of 22 species of edible insects belonging to fifteen families and eight orders were recorded from different habitat types. Out of these 22 species, Orthopterans showed a maximum number of eight species followed by Hymenoptera (four), Hemiptera (three), Lepidoptera (two), Blattodea (two) and one species each from Coleoptera, Odonata, and Mantodea. Dominance, diversity, and equitability indices were computed along with the relative abundance of the insects concerning four habitat types. Aspects of the economic significance of entomophagy were also observed during the field investigation. To manage insects in the interest of food security, more attention should be given to sustainable collecting and rearing methods emphasizing their economic, nutritional, and ecological advantages.