This book explores one of the most discussed and investigated novel foods in recent years: edible insects. The increasing demand for alternative protein sources worldwide had led the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to promote the potential of using insects both for feed and food, establishing a program called “Edible Insects.” Although several social, environmental, and nutritional benefits of the use of insects in the human diet have been identified, the majority of the population in Western countries rejects the idea of adopting insects as food, predominantly for cultural reasons. Nevertheless, international interest in promoting the consumption of insects has grown significantly, mainly in North America and Europe. This trend is mostly due to increasing attention and involvement from the scientific network and the food and feed industries, as well as governments and their constituents. The book explores the current state of entomophagy and identifies knowledge gaps to inform primary research institutions, students, members of the private sector, and policymakers to better plan, develop, and implement future research studies on edible insects as a sustainable source of food. The case studies and issues presented in this book cover highly up-to-date topics such as aspects of safety and allergies for human consumption, final meat quality of animals fed with insects, the legislative framework for the commercialization of this novel food, and other relevant issues.

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.

This open access book proposes an in-depth study on a vast range of issues connected to the regulation of Novel Foods in the European Union, pursuing an interdisciplinary approach and thus providing a comprehensive picture of this complex topic. Particular attention is paid not only to the current EU legislative framework, its positive innovations, unsolved problems and limits, but also to food safety issues and the potential impact of Novel Foods on sustainability and food security. In addition, the book focuses on a particular category of Novel Foods: insects for human consumption. These products recently gained momentum after the first EU Commission authorisation of dried yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) in 2021. The book contributes to the lively public debate following this long-awaited authorisation by examining the legal issues arising from the application of the Novel Foods Regulation to these peculiar new foods; the EFSA risk assessment evaluations; the consumers’ perceptions and potential future of insect-based products’ market in the EU. By providing such an extensive analysis, including recent developments and future prospects, the book represents a valuable tool for students and academics, but also institutions and public authorities, helping them understanding the various challenges related to Novel Foods and edible insects. Furthermore, it seeks to promote an informed debate in order to find innovative solutions to pressing problems concerning how to feed the world of tomorrow.

Insects as Food and Food Ingredients: Technological Improvements, Sustainability, and Safety Aspects addresses the use of insects as food by following a farm-to-fork approach and covering general aspects concerning farming, processing and the main applications of insects and insect derived ingredients in the food sector. Broken into three sections, this book addresses insect farming, the challenges of processing whole insects, or their fractionation into insect ingredients by the means of conventional and innovative technologies, as well as the biological properties, application, safety, functionality and nutritional value of both insects and their ingredients for food applications. Nutrition researchers, nutritionists, food scientists, health professionals, agricultural researchers, biosystem engineers and those working in or studying related disciplines will benefit from this reference. - Outlines general concepts related to insect rearing, nutritional value, safety and sustainability of production for food applications - Highlights current and recent advances in full insect and insect ingredients processing using innovative technologies - Presents the main applications of insects and their compounds, including functional and biological properties when used as food and other promising applications and prospects of insects in the agri-food sector

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.

​Forecasts point out an exponential growth in the global population, which raises concerns over the ability of the current agri-food production systems to meet food demand in the long term. Such a prospect has led international organizations and the scientific community to raise awareness about, and call for, the need to identify additional sources of food to feed the world. From this perspective, insects qualify as a suitable and more environmentally friendly alternative to meat and other foods that are sourced from animal proteins. However, uptake of the production and commercialization of insects as food has been facing regulatory hurdles, consumer skepticism and rejection in many markets. This is particularly true in the context of western societies in which insects do not always constitute part of the local traditional diets. Production and Commercialization of Insects as Food and Feed: identification of the Main Constraints in the European Union analyses and discusses the regulatory state-of-the-art for the production and commercialization of insects as food and feed in the European Union. The EU has been taking concrete legislative steps with a view to opening up its market for insect foods, although some key regulatory constraints still exist today which ultimately prevent the industry sector from growing, consolidating and thriving. The main regulatory constraints in the EU for insects as food include the fragmentation of the EU market as a result of the adoption of different policy solutions by EU Member States for novel foods and the lengthy and complex authorization procedures. Also, ad hoc safety and quality requirements tailored to the needs and specificities of the insect food sector are currently missing. This work constitutes the first comprehensive overview of the evolution and current state-of-the-art of the regulatory framework for insect foods in the EU, based on a multidisciplinary approach that combines science, policy and law. It proposes a legislative roadmap which the EU should follow in order to make its regulatory framework fit for insect foods in the long term by providing a detailed comparison between the current EU legal framework and other regulatory systems of western countries with a view to singling out the markets which are better equipped to address the production and the commercialization of insect foods. The text provides an updated overview of the overall market and of European consumers’ perspectives on the use of insect foods. With the proper legislative steps and consolidation, the EU can be a global leader for insects as food and feed both as a market and as a standard-setting body.

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.

Food is a precious commodity and its production can be resource-intensive. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, nearly 1.3 billion tons of food products per year are lost along the food supply chain, and in the next 25 years, the amount of food waste has been projected to increase exponentially. The management of food waste should follow certain policies based on the 3Rs concept, i.e., reduce, reuse, and recycle. Currently, most food waste is recycled, mainly as animal feed and compost. The remaining quantities are incinerated and disposed in landfills, causing serious emissions of methane (CH4), which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) as a greenhouse gas and significantly contributes to climate change. Valorizing food waste components could lead to numerous possibilities for the production of valuable chemicals, fuels, and products. The present Special Issue compiles a wide spectrum of aspects of research and technology in the area of food waste exploitation, highlighting prominent current research directions in the field for the production of value-added products such as polylactic acid, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, and edible insects.

Smart Food Industry: The Blockchain for Sustainable Engineering, Volume II - Current Status, Future Foods, and Global Issues reviews the literature and scientific frameworks to present a kind of sustainability compass. Disruptive approaches around potential sustainable foods are also widely investigated in order to be an alternative route for the industrial future. Thus, this book proposes new concepts and strategies to face future sustainability challenges that are on the horizon and can impact the next generation of foods. Divided into three parts, this book discusses the (i) status of sustainable food industry, (ii) next generation and future technology for sustainable foods, and (iii) policy, social, economic, and environmental aspects in food industries. Given the book's breadth, it provides readers with an invaluable reference resource for students, researchers, graduates, and professionals, in general, who wish to gain knowledge about the engineering and food processing area so as to achieve sustainable food production.

New Aspects of Meat Quality, Second Edition continues to be the leading source of scientific information for what constitutes meat quality for consumers, marketers and producers in the 21st century. The book includes traditional measures of meat quality such as texture, water holding, color, flavor/aroma, safety/microbiology and processing characteristics as well as quality assurance schemes, organic/free range, ethical meat production, and the desirability of genetically modified organisms, amongst others. Users will find comprehensive coverage on developments in our understanding of how muscle structure affects the eating qualities of cooked meat, along with techniques for measuring, predicting and producing meat quality. In addition, the book covers how these new techniques help us minimize variability in eating quality and/or maximize value. The book's final section identifies the current qualities of consumer and public perceptions and what is sustainable, ethical, desirable and healthy in meat production and consumption. - Provides the latest research techniques and developments presented by top researchers in the field - Covers new aspects of meat quality with the same scientific authority as texts on traditional meat quality value - Includes five new chapters that cover the role of proteolysis, meat flavor, meat bi-products, and meat and public health