Insect as food: search for new protein dietary sources – A review

Abstract

The increasing global need for food has sparked a great deal of interest in the consumption of novel and diversified sources of protein. Dietary protein not only plays a critical function in the prevention of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) but also in how the human diet affects the environment. Eating insects has been practised for a very long time. Edible insects have clear economic and environmental benefits, and recently, their huge potential in numerous industries has brought them to the forefront. Due to cultural prejudices towards hazardous insects, edible insects in Western nations are more likely to be used as animal feed than as human food, even though their abundance should be advantageous to human health. However, insects are a major source of protein for many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Insects may be used to address issues with the conservative food supply chain, such as the scarcity of land, water, and energy resources. Our analysis shows that, despite the fact that consumers affected by Western eating habits are unfamiliar with it, entomophagy is steadily growing throughout the world. Numerous studies have been done to increase their value, however questions about the security of the food supply have been raised. In this review of literature study, comparison have been made with ingestible insects with those of other conventional protein sources. The development of contemporary entomophagy was discussed along with their historical perspective. The practical methods and tactics has been also suggested to encourage the consumption of edible insects.