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Insect products for high-value Western markets
01.06.2014
Despite widespread resistance to eating insects in Western countries, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in entomophagy and the sale of insects. This paper outlines some of the insect-based dishes being developed by restaurants in Europe and the sale of high-value insects as snack foods, novelty foods or gifts in Western markets. With continuing uptake of internet access, it is now possible for small-scale insect processors worldwide to gain direct access to retail buyers and consumers in the high-value markets of industrialized countries. -
Insects in the human food chain: global status and opportunities
01.06.2014
Insects are part of the traditional diets of approximately 2 billion people worldwide. Insects can contribute to food security and be a part of the solution to protein shortages, given their high nutritional value, low emissions of greenhouse gases, low requirements for land and water, and the high efficiency at which they can convert feed into food. This article outlines the potential of insects as a food for humans as well as a feedstock for animals and fish. The majority of insects consumed in developing countries today are harvested in nature from wild populations. In Western countries, the disgust factor in considering insects as food, combined currently with their limited availability on the market, and a lack of regulations governing insects as food and feed, are major barriers for their further expansion. However, the biggest opportunity may well lie in the production of insect biomass as feedstock for animals and fish, to partly replace the increasingly expensive protein ingredients of compound feeds in the livestock industries. Considering the immense quantities of insect biomass needed to replace current protein-rich ingredients such as meal from fish and soybeans, automated mass rearing facilities need to be developed. For this to occur, significant technological innovations, changes in consumer food preferences, insect-encompassing food and feed legislation, and progress towards more sustainable food production systems are needed. The close collaboration of government, food and feed industry, media, chefs, and academia will be essential for success. -
Editorial: insects for food and feed
01.06.2014
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Reviews
01.02.2013
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Technical Reports: Setting up a food-processing unit Part 3: Materials for construction and equipment
01.02.2013
This is the third and final article on the decisions that face small-scale processors when starting a new business or when expanding to larger premises. The article focuses on the materials that are needed to construct food-processing buildings and equipment. -
Setting up a food-processing unit: Part 2: Design and layout of the production unit
01.11.2012
This is the second of three articles on the decisions that face small-scale processors when starting a new business or when expanding to a larger building. The article focuses on the design and layout of food production units. The third article will describe the materials that are needed to construct food processing buildings and equipment. -
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Local production of ready-to-use therapeutic food for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition
01.11.2012
Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is a nutrient-dense paste that is an effective treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition using community-based therapeutic care (CTC). This paper describes the background to the development of local production of RUTF in famine-affected countries, its composition and standards, method of production, packaging, and quality assurance. -
Editorial
01.11.2012
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Setting up a food-processing unit - Part 1: Selecting the best location
01.05.2012
This is the first of a series of articles on the decisions that face small-scale processors when starting a new business or when expanding to a larger building. The article focuses on the factors that should be taken into account when selecting the correct location for a food factory. Subsequent articles will examine the design and layout of food production units and the materials that are needed to construct food processing buildings and equipment.