Insects as food
Insects as food or edible insects are insect species used for human consumption. Over 2 billion people are estimated to eat insects on a daily basis. Globally, more than 2,000 insect species are considered edible, though far fewer are discussed for industrialized mass production and regionally authorized for use in food. Many insects are highly nutritious, though nutritional content depends on species and other factors such as diet and age. Insects offer a wide variety of flavors and are commonly consumed whole or pulverized for use in dishes and processed food products such as burger patties, pasta, or snacks. Like other foods, there can be risks associated with consuming insects, such as allergic reactions. As commercial interest in insects as food grows, countries are introducing new regulatory frameworks to oversee their production, processing, marketing, and consumption.
Edible insects
Frequently consumed insect species
Human consumption of 2,205 different insect species has been documented.The table below ranks insect order by number and percentage of confirmed species consumed and presents each insect orders' percentage of known insect species diversity. With the exceptions of orders Orthoptera and Diptera, there is close alignment between species diversity and consumption, suggesting that humans tend to eat those insects that are most available.
| Insect order | Common name | Number of confirmed species consumed by humans | Percentage of insect species consumed by humans | Percentage of total insect species |
| Coleoptera | Beetles | 705 | 33 | 32 |
| Hymenoptera | Bees, wasps, ants | 341 | 15 | 15.5 |
| Lepidoptera | Butterflies, moths | 335 | 17 | 15.2 |
| Orthoptera | Grasshoppers, locusts, crickets | 310 | 13 | 14.1 |
| Hemiptera | Cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers, scale insects, true bugs | 251 | 11 | 11.4 |
| Isoptera | Termites | 76 | 3.4 | |
| Odonata | Dragonflies | 54 | 3 | 2.4 |
| Diptera | Flies | 39 | 1.8 | |
| Ephemeroptera | Mayflies | 11 | 1.7 | |
| Plecoptera | Stoneflies | 9 | 0.4 | |
| Trichoptera | Caddisflies | 8 | 0.4 | |
| Phasmida | Walking Sticks | 7 | 0.3 | |
| Megaloptera | Alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies | 4 | 0.2 | |
| Psocoptera | Booklice | 1 | 0.05 | |
| Dermaptera | Earwigs | 1 | 0.05 |
Geography of insect consumption
Insect species consumption varies by region due to differences in environment, ecosystems, and climate. The number of insect species consumed by country is highest in equatorial and sub-tropical regions, a reflection of greater insect abundance and biodiversity observed at lower latitudes and their year-round availability.Edible insects for industrialized mass production
To increase consumer interest in Western markets such as Europe and North America, insects have been processed into a non‐recognizable form, such as powders or flour. Policymakers, academics, as well as large-scale insect food producers such as Entomofarms in Canada, Aspire Food Group in the United States, Protifarm and Protix in the Netherlands, and Bühler Group in Switzerland, focus on seven insect species suitable for human consumption as well as industrialized mass production:- Mealworms as larvae
- Lesser mealworms as larvae, mostly marketed under the term buffalo worms.
- House cricket
- Tropical house cricket
- European migratory locust
- Black soldier fly
- Housefly
It was largely substituted with synthetic dyes like alizarin.
Fears over the safety of artificial food additives renewed the popularity of cochineal dyes, and the increased demand has made cultivation of the insect profitable again, with Peru being the largest producer, followed by Mexico, Chile, Argentina and the Canary Islands.
Nutritional profile
The nutritional profiles of edible insects are highly variable given the large number of species consumed. In addition to species differences, nutritional content can be affected by geographic origin and production method, diet, age, development stage, and sex. For instance, female house crickets contain more fat than males, while males contain more protein than females.Some insects are a source of complete protein and provide similar essential amino acid levels as soybeans, though less than casein. They have dietary fiber, essential minerals, vitamins such as B12, riboflavin and vitamin A, and include mostly unsaturated fat.
Locusts contain between 8 and 20 milligrams of iron for every 100 grams of raw locust, whereas beef contains roughly 6 milligrams of iron in the same amount of meat. Crickets are also very efficient in terms of nutrients. For every 100 grams of substance crickets contain 12.9 grams of protein, 121 calories, and 5.5 grams of fat. Beef contains more protein, containing 23.5 grams in 100 grams of substance, but also has roughly triple the calories and four times the amount of fat as crickets do in 100 grams.
| Nutritional value per 100 g | Mealworms | Buffalo worms | House crickets | Migratory locust |
| Energy | 550 kcal / 2303 kJ | 484 kcal / 2027 kJ | 458 kcal / 1918 kJ | 559 kcal / 2341 kJ |
| Fat Of which saturated fatty acids | 37,2 g 9 g | 24,7 g 8 g | 18,5 g 7 g | 38,1 g 13,1 g |
| Carbohydrates Of which sugars | 5,4 g 0 g | 6,7 g 0 g | 0 g 0 g | 1,1 g 0 g |
| Protein | 45,1 g | 56,2 g | 69,1 g | 48,2 g |
| Salt | 0,37 g | 0,38 g | 1,03 g | 0,43 g |
Organoleptic characteristics
The organoleptic characteristics of edible insects vary between species and are influenced by environment. For instance, aquatic edible insects such as water boatmen and dragonfly larvae have a fish flavor, while diving beetles taste more like clams. Environment is not always a predictor of flavor, as terrestrial edible insects may also exhibit fish-like flavors. Over 400 volatile compounds responsible for the aroma and flavor of edible insects have been identified. Pheromone chemicals contribute to pungent aromas and flavors in some species and the presence of organic acids makes some species taste sour. Organoleptic characteristics are dependent on the development stage of the insect and may change significantly as an insect matures. For example, texture can change from soft to crunchy as an insect develops from larva to adult due to increasing exoskeletal chitin. Cooking method is considered the strongest influence on the final flavor of edible insects. Wet-cooking methods such as scalding or steaming remove pheromones and odor compounds, resulting in a milder flavor, while dry-cooking methods such as frying and roasting introduce more complex flavors.The table below provides common flavor descriptors for a selection of edible insects. Flavors will vary with preparation method. Insect development stage is provided when possible.
| Insect | Scientific name | Development stage | Flavor |
| Agave worm | Aegiale hesperiaris | Larvae | Cracklings |
| Agave worm | Comadia redtenbacheri | Larvae | Spicy |
| Ants | Family Formicidae | Adult | Sweet, nutty |
| Carpenter ant | Camponotus spp. | Adult | Charred lemon |
| Wood ant | Formica spp. | Adult | Kaffir lime |
| Black witch moth | Ascalapha odorata | Larvae | Herring |
| Cockroach | Order Blattodea | - | Mushroom |
| Cricket | Superfamily Grylloidea | Adult | Fish |
| Corn earworm | Helicoverpa zea | Larvae | Sweet corn |
| Dragonfly | Infraorder Anisoptera | Larvae | Fish |
| Grasshopper | Suborder Caelifera | Adult | Fish |
| Honey bee | Apis spp. | Brood | Butter, milk, herbal, vegetal, meaty, mushroom |
| Mealworm | Tenebrio molitor | - | Nutty ; whole wheat bread |
| Mealybug | Family Pseudococcidae | - | Fried potato |
| Stinkbug | Family Pentatomidae | Adult | Apple |
| Termite | Infraorder Isoptera | Adult | Nutty |
| Treehopper | Family Membracidae | - | Avocado, zucchini |
| Wasp | Suborder Apocrita | - | Pine nut |
| Water boatmen | Family Corixidae | - | Caviar ; fish, shrimp |
Farming, production, and processing
Edible insects are raised as livestock in specialized insect farms. In North American as well as European countries such as the Netherlands or Belgium, insects are produced under strict food law and hygiene standards for human consumption.Conditions such as temperature, humidity, feed, water sources, and housing, vary depending on the insect species. The insects are raised from eggs to larvae status or to their mature form in industrialized insect farms and then killed via temperature control. Culled insects may be freeze-dried and packed whole, or pulverized to insect powder to be used in other food products such as baked goods or snacks.
In addition to nutritional composition and digestibility, insect species are selected for ease of rearing by the producer based on factors such as disease susceptibility, feed conversion efficiency, rate of development, and generational turnover.