Edible Insects: Nutritional, Economic, and Sustainability Perspectives

Introduction

Insects are delicacies that are enjoyed by people in tropical and subtropical countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The practice of eating insects is called entomophagy, and there are over 2000 species of insects being consumed by humans(Van Huis, 2016). Commonly consumed insects include grasshoppers, locusts, white ants, caterpillars, mealworms, wasps, crickets, etc.

With the increasing world population, there is an increased demand for food by consumers, yet there is limited land for agriculture to feed the growing population. Insects have the potential to become the global future of food, and they can be consumed by both humans and animals.  Most developed countries consume a lot of meat, and its consumption is expected to rise by 9% in 2030 in high-income countries (Van Huis, 2013)This will lead to an increase in demand for agricultural crops and thus an increase in their prices. The crops are required to produce feeds for the livestock and hence thus leading to an increase in the price of meat being produced.  Urbanization also reduces agricultural land by converting the farmland to urban development and other uses and therefore leading to a reduction in the production of crops due to less availability of land. This also leads to an increase in the prices of food being produced. The increase in prices of food and animal feeds calls for a search for alternative protein sources such as insects.

Edible insect production extends beyond nutrition to broader economic, social, cultural and environmental gains

Traditional use and culinary application

In many cultures, edible insects are prepared using simple yet flavourful traditional methods. Roasting is one of the common methods used, and insects like grasshoppers and termites are pan-roasted in their own oils until they turn golden and crunchy. In southern Africa, mopane worms are usually boiled in salted water before drying or frying them, making it easy to store them for longer periods. Smoking, sun-drying, and frying are also popular methods used in enhancing the taste and preserving insects for later use.

Beyond eating insects as a whole, they are also utilized as ingredients in other cuisines and other products like cereal-based foods, animal-derived proteins, and animal feed. Caterpillars are usually simmered with tomatoes and spices to make flavourful and hearty stews. In countries like Mexico, chapulines are sprinkled over tortillas and guacamole, giving a tangy kick. In some other communities, insect powders are being used as raw materials to make baked goods like bread, cakes, etc. When insect flour is used, it not only increases the nutritional value but also increases darkness and browning in the baked wheat bread (Yang et al., 2024). insects can be used as substitutes for cereal flours for enriching snacks due to their high nutritional content. The protein isolates from insects have shown to have bioactive activity and therefore can be used to improve food formulations(Acosta-Estrada et al., 2021).  Insect-derived ingredients have the ability to bind water lipids, which is a good characteristic for modulating texture, retaining moisture, and stabilizing fat in complex food matrices(Lisboa et al., 2025).

Nutritional value and role in combating malnutrition

figure 2: Wondering if eating insects can really feed the world

Insect farming and eating, a promising solution towards addressing malnutrition. Malnutrition is a global public health concern, with high levels of undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies being so common in developing countries. Insects have a nutrient-dense profile with potential to deliver affordable high-quality proteins and high-quality amounts of zinc and iron (Matiza Ruzengwe et al., 2022).

The edible parts of insects i nearly 100% and their nutritional value is higher than that in plants in terms of higher proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins, and mineral content (Hong, Han and Kim, 2020).  The amino acids from insects are good and can replace cereal proteins. This is because they contain essential amino acids like lysine, tryptophan which are absent in cereal proteins. Edible insects are also excellent sources of iron. Most insects have iron content which is almost equal to or greater than that in beef (Tuhumury, 2021). Iron deficiency is a major concern for many developing countries and its one of the worlds most common nutritional disorder for example palm weevils or mopane caterpillars can provide 12 and 31mg of iron per 100g of weight yet on the other hand, chicken and beef provides only 1.2 and 3mg of iron respectively(Tao and Li, 2018) and therefore incorporating them in a diet can improve the iron status and prevent anaemia.  The oil extracted from insects is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and therefore, in communities that cannot access or afford fish, they can rely on insect meals as a good alternative source for the polyunsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, Linoleic Acid, and α-linolenic Acid.

Environmental and sustainability advantages

When it comes to sustainable food options, insects could play a crucial role because they are easy to breed and feed, they require less land and less water as compared to other animal species like cows, pigs and poultry.

Figure 3 :Edible insects: a sustainable protein source requiring far less water, land, and feed compared to traditional livestock.https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparative-input-output-balance-in-beef-and-cricket-production_fig1_349058502

 Insects are very efficient at converting feed into edible mass requiring less input than in livestock to produce almost the same nutritional output. they can utilize agricultural by-products or organic waste and convert them into human or animal food (Berggren, Jansson and Low, 2019)this efficiency reduces pressure on land and water, making insect rearing more sustainable than conventional animal rearing. Insects emit less greenhouse gases compared to livestock, which contributes to 14% of all greenhouse emissions (Van Huis, 2016).Greenhouse gasses are major contributors to temperature rise and therefore insects can play a great deal in meeting the target for the convention of United Nation under climate change of keeping the temperature rise below 2% as compared to cows.

Edible Insects as a Safer food Source

Insects have a low potential to spread diseases to humans (zoonotic transmissions) as compared to livestock because insects are more distant from humans. Meat consumption in high-income countries has been associated with human health problems and zoonotic infections increment yet they pose a significant effect on human health, for example, new Influenza A (H1N1) which is closely related to the swine Influenza A (Van Huis, 2013)This makes insect diets a safer choice to conventional livestock.

In many parts of the world, there is a high consumption of animal based proteins mainly meat and processed meat and these have been linked to be causes of increased non – communicable diseases like cancer (Belluco et al., 2013) and due to this high meat consumption, the nutritional guidelines’ main goal is to have a reduction and partially substitute meat based proteins with other sources like fish and plants. However , fish consumption has allot of health benefits because it contains high concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids but still despite these, fish also contains methylmercury (MeHg), which is a well-known environmental neurotoxin. Grains and pulses which are the other good sources of proteins have limitations. The cancer prevention recommends avoiding consumption of moldy grins and pulses which maybe contaminated with mycotoxins , particularly aflatoxins and these are well known carcinogens hence limiting their use leaving insects as a great and potential candidate to substituting animal proteins (Belluco et al., 2013).

Economic  benefits of Insects

Commercialization of edible insects exists in many countries and these can be sold in either small or large quantities. Insects are sold alive, fresh, boiled, roasted or cooked depending on the choices of the potential consumers (Elorduy, Ramos-elorduy and Unam, 2010). Collecting and selling insects harvested from the wild is offering new opportunities for people more especially the underprivileged group (Paul et al., 2016). Collecting and selling these insects, like grasshoppers, on the streets provides them with cash for basic needs such as food, paying for education, and many others.

figure 4: Women selling grasshoppers in the market

In some countries like Cameroon, forest insects like beetles and butterflies are harvested for trade with about 17.7% of households in villages depending on beetle exploitation for a living . Beetles are harvested by many forest dwelling people in the south western region of Cameroon and they export these to countries in the Europe, Asia, and America through internet business negotiations (Muafor et al., 2012). Insect products such as bee honey, food colourings, royal jely, propolis and other insect based products (Carvalho, Madureira and Pintado, 2020) are being sold by people and therefore making money for a living. Therefore, consuming insects can improve the economic situation of communities.

 Social cultural perspectives

The perception of consuming edible insects can be influenced by different social demographic characteristics like sex, education, living environment and income with different cultures accepting the consumption of edible insects at different degrees (Guin et al., 2023). It was observed by (Megido et al., 2014)  that people are willing to eat edible insects when they are in other forms such as energy bars, cookies, sandwich etc. Cultural attitudes towards eating insects varies significantly. Some cultures embrace entomophagy as a traditional practice while others see it as unconventional but with the global recognition on many benefits of insects i.e nutrient richness, effects n environment, economic values etc. The current perspectives emphasize the potential of insects to address food shortages and reduce the strain on resources (Olivadese and Dindo, 2023). Cultural exposure also plays a role as it influences by making available a certain range of species to individuals within culture therefore determining which items/ species individuals recognize as food. Culture exposure leads to common preference.

In African literature, the consumption of insects has been dated back to the olden days and a lot of traditional stories and folklore are attached to them. In some cultures, caterpillars re believed to have special powers or spiritual significance  so they are used in rituals and ceremonies. Mopane worms which are native to sub-Saharan Africa and usually harvested from mopane trees. These are eaten either as boiled or fried and are important to the natives as a cultural heritage aside being enjoyed as a food(Abbasi, 2024). South America’s palm weevil larvae also known as “suri” ( traditional food source for the indigenous communities in Amazon rain forest) are sometimes used in traditional medicines. In Northeast India, insects like silkworm pupae and bamboo worms are enjoyed by certain tribal communities ad when cooked with species, they create unique Flavors and textures in traditional dishes

figure 5: Mopane worms ; A crunchy delight ready to eat

Grasshoppers (Ruspolia differens) are also a great delicacy amongst the people of East Africa. These are enjoyed by many natives in Uganda and the love for these insects which swam  more in November earned the month a local name called “ musenene” which comes from “nsenene”  a local name for grasshoppers. These are eaten not only for their nutritional content but also with belief that they can cure diseases. Locals reason it in a way that these insects eat from lots of plants and trees and so they contain compounds that cure diseases (Huis, 2022)  Among the Shona of Zimbabwe, grasshoppers are roasted and grinded to powder which is added to children’s food to prevent bed wetting. In Zambia, ashes of Phymateus spp are rubbed into razorblade  made scars on breasts of women to treat breast pain.

Conclusion

Edible insects present a nutritious, and economically promising solution to the global challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity. Their high nutritional content makes them valuable alternatives to conventional animal sources in regions where undernutrition remains widespread. Insect farming contributes to environmental conservation by requiring minimal land, water, and feed resources, while producing low greenhouse gas emissions. Economically, the edible insect industry offers opportunities for income generation, and job creation especially among rural and low-income communities. To fully realize this potential, greater investment in research, policy support, consumer education, and safe production practices is needed. Embracing edible insects as part of the human diet not only addresses immediate nutritional needs but also paves the way for a more sustainable and food-secure future.

References

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