Benefits and Risks of Consuming Edible Insects

Abstract

Insect eating has been reported for a long time, and they are consumed in raw and processed forms by several cultures around the world, especially in developing countries, where they are typically regarded as a delicacy in addition to providing nutrients, farming, processing, and consumption of edible insects have recently sparked a lot of research interest, mostly in an effort to mitigate food insecurity and improve nutrition in many developing nations. Edible insects have been demonstrated to improve the nutritional content of foods by providing micro- and macronutrient levels that are comparable to, if not higher than, those found in animal-derived foods. Even with all of these advantages, promoting edible insect cultivation and consumption in developed and developing countries faces a number of hurdles. In many Western countries, however, consumer acceptance of insects as a food source remains a major challenge. The problem of food safety is at the top of the list of these challenges, with many western consumers concerned about the microbiological and chemical health risks that edible insects or edible insect-derived foods may provide. According to the available research, there is a clear need to strike a balance between the nutritional benefits of edible insects and its food safety concerns.