EDIBLE INSECT FARMING AND PROCESSING

Description

With the increasing population across the globe, can you guess what humans might be consuming in the next 50 years? One potential answer would be edible insects! Yes, it is being estimated that 1.1% of the population is added yearly across the world and by the year 2050 the population would reach the figure of 9 billion. This would increase the pressure on the agro-ecosystem to fulfill the hunger of people.

Insect foods have gained recognition among various researchers and international conferences, where key aspects related to the collection, production, processing, nutrition, marketing and consumption of insects have been addressed. Also, their potential for food and feed is explored amongst developed and developing countries.

Insects have a good amount of proteins, dietary fibers, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Their nutritional value does not differ from the nutritional value of other meat sources like chicken, pork, beef, and fish. Thus, insect farming and processing into several products see good potential, especially in countries like North America, Europe, Canada, etc. Whereas, countries like Ghana, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, China extensively consume insects and insect foods.

From almost 2100 edible insect species, the most common insect species that are consumed include crickets, mealworms, migratory locusts, grasshoppers, termites, etc. Several insect products can be manufactured in the form of whole insects, baked insect snacks, insect powder, insect bars, insect candies, freeze-dried insects, and so on.

In the country like India, insect foods most popularly find their use as a feed, while human consumption is merely observed due to fewer consumer acceptance. However, the tropical climatic conditions favor the farming and production of insects and other factors like the growing craze for fitness products, the willingness of youth generation to try new foods might present demand for such foods soon.

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