Edible insects: Challenges and prospects

Abstract

An overview is given on recent developments in insects as food and food by reviewing the literature which has appeared during the last few years on edible insects. An outlook to the future is provided. About a decade ago, the attention shifted from harvesting insects in the tropics to farming insects all over the world for food and feed applications. Most production is targeted towards pet food, but it will turn to aquafeed in the next two decades. More than 80% of all publications dealing with edible insects appeared during the last five years. Crickets and mealworms are used for human food while the black soldier fly is the main species used as animal feed. The criteria to choose insect species are automation, cheap substrates, disease avoidance, and market potential. Genetics are increasingly explored to improve production. The environmental impact of producing insects compares well to other alternative proteins, in particular their capacity to degrade organic waste streams. Edible insects are not only a good source of nutrients but also seem to provide health benefits not only for humans and animals, but also for plants (left over substrate). The challenge of convincing Western consumers is reviewed and whether sustainability is an issue. Processing techniques are being developed. The sector of insects as food and feed is developing fast thanks to an increasingly conducive legislative framework. It will progress further, provided that the insect industry, academia, governmental organizations, and public society closely cooperate.

Consumption of edible insects and insect‐based foods: A systematic review of sensory properties and evoked emotional response

“…Cricket ( n = 48, 32.7%) and mealworm ( n = 44, 29.9%) species were the most studied, with T. molitor ( n = 39, 26.5%) and A. domesticus ( n = 29, 20.1%) being the more prominent species. These results reflect the geographical locations of the performed studies since T. molitor and A. domesticus are the most popular edible insect species in Europe and North America (van Huis, 2022).…”

“…However, in the last decade, the popularity of edible insects has been growing, in part due to the demand for more sustainable protein sources. This increase in popularity is visible in the number of companies dedicated to the rearing of edible insects or the production of insect-based food products, but also in the scientific community, with an increasing number of scientific articles focused on insects as food or feed being published (van Huis, 2022). Most noticeably, the European Union has recently approved several insect species, such as Acheta domesticus (EFSA Panel on Nutrition & Allergens, 2021a) or Tenebrio molitor (EFSA Panel on Nutrition & Allergens, 2021b) as being safe to consume.…”

Insect rearing on biowaste represents a competitive advantage for fish farming

“…As annual investments in the insect industry will rise three times from the current 1G US$ by 2030, a mass production level will allow a price drop from 4.6 US$/kg to 2.0 US$/ kg (which is approximately the current fishmeal price) 102 . The pet food segment is likely to hold the highest profitability, followed by aquaculture, poultry, piglets and cattle, where the added value (based on its nutrient composition could be in the vicinity of 312 US$/short ton) 103 is the lowest. The available financial analyses are in line with commercial practice and demonstrate that insect rearing is a promising business in the current turbulent economic situation while the figures obtained have little predictive power 104 …”

Effect of the rearing diet on gene expression of antimicrobial peptides in Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

“…To meet the protein demand, more efficient animal production, meat substitutes, and alternative protein sources are required (El-Chichakli et al, 2016). Insect proteins have been proposed as high-quality, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and sustainable alternatives both for human and animal feed ( van Huis, 2020;Meyer-Rochow et al, 2022;van Huis, 2022). Coincidentally, some insect populations can successfully be grown on organic side streams, such as organic waste or low-value organic by-products, which offer an attractive approach within a circular economy (Gasco et al, 2020;Jensen et al, 2021).…”