Role of Edible Insects as Food Source to Combat Food Security Challenges. Innovative and Traditional Approaches

Abstract

World Food Security organization committee stated that food security exists when safe, healthy, and nutritious food is present to all human beings, to meet their dietary needs. There are four pillars of food security such as availability, access, utilization, and stability, while the nutritional dimension is considered integral to the concept of food security. Protein is an essential dietary component. It is required for the proper growth of individuals. Meat is an excellent source of protein. However, because of the increasing demand for meat and declining agricultural land. There is an urgent need to discover alternative ways to full fill public protein demand. Edible insects are the best alternative source of protein. They can be harvested in large amounts. Insect meals can replace scarce fishmeal as feed ingredients. Insects are not only a source of protein but also contained various nutrients and minerals such as iron, zinc, and selenium. People showed awareness of the importance of insects as an essential dietary element. Edible insect harvesting is a new emerging agriculture sector and needs the special attention of researchers and the government. Thus, insects require the use of commercial processing methods that will render the protein suitable for food/feed formulation, while maintaining the safety, nutritional and sensory quality of the final product.