Edible insects for solving food insecurity

With rising population, food insecurity is looming as a threat. So, the search for underutilized, nutritious food candidates is a top-priority.

In this regard, the phylum Arthropoda holds much promise. Crustaceans as shrimp, lobsters, crabs, and krill are long-known to to gourmet food, but now the class Insecta is emerging as promising food sources.

Dense in proteins, fat and minerals, the “edible insects” can be exploited  to solve the global hunger issue.

Agreed, insects are not as easy to integrate into the food platter unlike cereal or vegetable. Apart from the disgust, food neophobia, there are the risks of allergenic tissues and disease vector tendencies. 


So, this new revolution is brewing to popularize edible-grade insects to diet. Ants, termites, silkworm, grasshoppers, locusts are some of the popular edible insects. Through workshops, food festivals, start-ups, and research grants, entomophagy is being encouraged. If this food niche is utilized, it will certainly reduce pressure off agriculture and prove as a sustainable source of sustenance.

For further information, please read the article at :

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417304326


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