Transforming insects into a conventional food source using biotechnological processes

Driven by population growth and concerns about ensuring food security and sustainability, the introduction of insects into human food is one of the greatest challenges of the modern era. Insects have a high efficiency for nutrient conversion, are a valuable source of proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals; comparable to other conventional sources. A great advantage of insects compared to traditional agricultural production systems lies in the lower generation of agents that can result in environmental problems. Furthermore, several bioactive compounds can be obtained by exploiting the nutritional composition of insects. The health benefits of these compounds have been reported in several studies, some of them with clinical trials on humans. Additionally, studies have also been dedicated to investigating the possible negative effects on human health that may result from eating insects, including allergenic and antinutritional compounds. In this sense, biotechnological processes such as enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation are being evaluated as methods for obtaining bioactive compounds, and reducing risk factors that may be present in insects and their derivatives, in addition to modifying the structure of macromolecules, especially those proteins, in order to benefit from desirable techno-functional characteristics. On a broader spectrum, introducing insects into the population's conventional diet requires broad coordination between several areas, which includes the legislative branch, universities and research centers, the food industry, and the media. These areas can collaborate to regulate insect consumption, enhance ingredient processing, and inform the benefits of insect breeding and consumption, reducing aversion and negative associations (disease transmitters, for example).