Edible Insects

Edible Insects
Author: Arnold van Huis
Publisher: Bright Sparks
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2013
Genre: Conservation of natural resources
ISBN: 9789251075951

Edible insects have always been a part of human diets, but in some societies there remains a degree of disdain and disgust for their consumption. Although the majority of consumed insects are gathered in forest habitats, mass-rearing systems are being developed in many countries. Insects offer a significant opportunity to merge traditional knowledge and modern science to improve human food security worldwide. This publication describes the contribution of insects to food security and examines future prospects for raising insects at a commercial scale to improve food and feed production, diversify diets, and support livelihoods in both developing and developed countries. It shows the many traditional and potential new uses of insects for direct human consumption and the opportunities for and constraints to farming them for food and feed. It examines the body of research on issues such as insect nutrition and food safety, the use of insects as animal feed, and the processing and preservation of insects and their products. It highlights the need to develop a regulatory framework to govern the use of insects for food security. And it presents case studies and examples from around the world. Edible insects are a promising alternative to the conventional production of meat, either for direct human consumption or for indirect use as feedstock. To fully realise this potential, much work needs to be done by a wide range of stakeholders. This publication will boost awareness of the many valuable roles that insects play in sustaining nature and human life, and it will stimulate debate on the expansion of the use of insects as food and feed.

African Edible Insects As Alternative Source of Food, Oil, Protein and Bioactive Components

African Edible Insects As Alternative Source of Food, Oil, Protein and Bioactive Components
Author: Abdalbasit Adam Mariod
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2020-01-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030329526

The harvesting, processing and consumption of edible insects is one of the main keys to the sustainability of food chains on the African continent. Insects are the largest and most successful group of animals on the planet and it is estimated that they comprise 80% of all animals. This makes edible insects extremely important to the future survival of large populations across Africa and the world. Insects offer a complete animal protein that includes all 9 essential amino acids and are very competitive with other protein sources. They are also a good source of beneficial unsaturated fats, and many insects have a perfect Omega 3:6 balance. African Edible Insects As Alternative Source of Food, Oil, Protein and Bioactive Components comprehensively outlines the importance of edible insects as food and animal feed and the processing of insects in Africa. The text also highlights indigenous knowledge of edible insects and shows the composition and nutritional value of these insects, plus presents reviews of current research and developments in this rapidly expanding field. All of the main types of edible insects are covered, including their nutritional value, chemical makeup, and harvesting and processing details. The various preparation technologies are covered for each insect, as are their individual sensory qualities and safety aspects. A key aspect of this work is its focus on the role of insects in edible oils and gelatins. Individual chapters focus on entomophagy in Africa and the various key aspects of the continent's growing edible insect consumption market. As it becomes increasingly clear that the consumption of insects will play a major role in the sustainability of food chains in Africa, this work can be used as a comprehensive and up-to-date singular source for researchers looking for a complete overview on this crucial topic.

Edible Insects Processing for Food and Feed

Edible Insects Processing for Food and Feed
Author: Simona Grasso
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 370
Release: 2023-05-19
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1000864065

Consumers around the world are becoming increasingly aware of the significant impacts of food consumption on the environment, and demand for more sustainable foods is expanding rapidly. Edible Insects Processing for Food and Feed: From Startups to Mass Production focuses on the growing topic of insects as food and feed, covering not only production elements, but also case studies and several other areas of interest, such as environmental aspects, nutritional value, consumers, food safety and market statistics. Key Features: Includes several case studies and latest advancements in the area Contains multidisciplinary approach, covering farm-to-fork aspects Contains full account of contemporary developments in mass production of edible insects Written by passionate leading academics and industry partners around the globe, this book aims to bring together the latest advancements in edible insect production in a dynamic, modern and multidisciplinary approach. It is a one-stop shop that will give readers a flavour of where the fascinating topic of edible insect production is now, but more importantly of where it might be heading to in the future, showcasing several related challenges and opportunities.

Looking at edible insects from a food safety perspective

Looking at edible insects from a food safety perspective
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 108
Release: 2021-04-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9251341966

While insect consumption by humans or entomophagy has been traditionally practiced in various countries over generations and represents a common dietary component of various animal species (birds, fish, mammals), farming of insects for human food and animal feed is relatively recent. Production of this ‘mini-livestock’ brings with it several potential benefits and challenges. The objective of this document is to provide the reader with an overview of the various food safety issues that could be associated with edible insects. The intended audiences of this publication are food safety professionals, policymakers, researchers, insect producers as well as consumers. The regulatory frameworks that govern production, trade and consumption of insects in various regions are discussed. The document ends with elucidating some other major challenges, such as consumer acceptance and scaling up production, that the edible insect industry would need to overcome to have a more global reach.

Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients

Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients
Author: Aaron T. Dossey
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2016-06-23
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0128028920

Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients: Production, Processing and Food Applications describes how insects can be mass produced and incorporated into our food supply at an industrial and cost-effective scale, providing valuable guidance on how to build the insect-based agriculture and the food and biomaterial industry. Editor Aaron Dossey, a pioneer in the processing of insects for human consumption, brings together a team of international experts who effectively summarize the current state-of-the-art, providing helpful recommendations on which readers can build companies, products, and research programs. Researchers, entrepreneurs, farmers, policymakers, and anyone interested in insect mass production and the industrial use of insects will benefit from the content in this comprehensive reference. The book contains all the information a basic practitioner in the field needs, making this a useful resource for those writing a grant, a research or review article, a press article, or news clip, or for those deciding how to enter the world of insect based food ingredients. - Details the current state and future direction of insects as a sustainable source of protein, food, feed, medicine, and other useful biomaterials - Provides valuable guidance that is useful to anyone interested in utilizing insects as food ingredients - Presents insects as an alternative protein/nutrient source that is ideal for food companies, nutritionists, entomologists, food entrepreneurs, and athletes, etc. - Summarizes the current state-of-the-art, providing helpful recommendations on building companies, products, and research programs - Ideal reference for researchers, entrepreneurs, farmers, policymakers, and anyone interested in insect mass production and the industrial use of insects - Outlines the challenges and opportunities within this emerging industry

Edible Insects in Sustainable Food Systems

Edible Insects in Sustainable Food Systems
Author: Afton Halloran
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 468
Release: 2018-05-14
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319740113

This text provides an important overview of the contributions of edible insects to ecological sustainability, livelihoods, nutrition and health, food culture and food systems around the world. While insect farming for both food and feed is rapidly increasing in popularity around the world, the role that wild insect species have played in the lives and societies of millions of people worldwide cannot be ignored. In order to represent this diversity, this work draws upon research conducted in a wide range of geographical locations and features a variety of different insect species. Edible insects in Sustainable Food Systems comprehensively covers the basic principles of entomology and population dynamics; edible insects and culture; nutrition and health; gastronomy; insects as animal feed; factors influencing preferences and acceptability of insects; environmental impacts and conservation; considerations for insect farming and policy and legislation. The book contains practical information for researchers, NGOs and international organizations, decision-makers, entrepreneurs and students.

Edible Insects

Edible Insects
Author: Heimo Mikkola
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2020-01-29
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1789856353

Insect protein production through ‘mini-livestock farming’ has enormous potential to reduce the level of malnutrition in critical areas across the world. It has been estimated that insect eating is practised regularly by over two billion people, mostly in China and in most tropical countries in Africa, South America, and Asia. However, eating insects has been taboo in many western nations. Reasons for this are discussed in this book with examples from Finland and the UK. The enormous boom of insect farming in Finland started in September 2017 when the business type was legalized. However, a large part of the population found the insect food too expensive and exotic. UK research outlines a multitude of promising strategies to overcome ‘western’ resistance to eating insects. This book also includes a chapter on the potential of insect farming to increase global food security. It shows that Africa is a hotspot of edible insect biodiversity and there more than 500 species consumed daily. We have several examples of viable insect farming businesses that can fight poverty and malnutrition in developing countries and provide profit and wealth to rural farmers. The chapters of the book cover countries such as Cameroon, Ecuador, Finland, Ghana, India, Mexico, the UK, and the US.

Insects as Food and Feed

Insects as Food and Feed
Author: Arnold van Huis
Publisher: Brill Wageningen Academic
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017
Genre: Animal feeding
ISBN: 9789086868490

Also available as E-book see insects-as-food-feed-from-production-to-consumption For more information about the e-book, please contact Sales. Insects have a high potential of becoming a new sector in the food and feed industry, mainly because of the many environmental benefits when compared to meat production. This will be outlined in the book, as well as the whole process from rearing to marketing. Detailed photograph are shown at the start of each section and chapter."

Edible Insects and Human Evolution

Edible Insects and Human Evolution
Author: Julie J. Lesnik
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2019-02-13
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0813065089

Researchers who study ancient human diets tend to focus on meat eating because the practice of butchery is very apparent in the archaeological record. In this volume, Julie Lesnik highlights a different food source, tracing evidence that humans and their hominin ancestors also consumed insects throughout the entire course of human evolution. Lesnik combines primatology, sociocultural anthropology, reproductive physiology, and paleoanthropology to examine the role of insects in the diets of hunter-gatherers and our nonhuman primate cousins. She posits that women would likely spend more time foraging for and eating insects than men, arguing that this pattern is important to note because women are too often ignored in reconstructions of ancient human behavior. Because of the abundance of insects and the low risk of acquiring them, insects were a reliable food source that mothers used to feed their families over the past five million years. Although they are consumed worldwide to this day, insects are not usually considered food in Western societies. Tying together ancient history with our modern lives, Lesnik points out that insects are highly nutritious and a very sustainable protein alternative. She believes that if we accept that edible insects are a part of the human legacy, we may have new conversations about what is good to eat—both in past diets and for the future of food.