Have the environmental benefits of insect farming been overstated? A critical review DOI Open Access

Corentin Biteau,

Tom Bry-Chevalier, Dustin Crummett

et al.

Published: April 4, 2024

Humanity's food system has an immense environmental impact, and insects have been frequently proposed as a more environmentally sustainable option. The industrialised farming of for livestock feed human attracted the attention industry, policymakers, scientific community. However, many benefits commonly mentioned by companies proponents insect are challenged current evidence. This review examines evidence used to assess farming's drawbacks both animal feed. Significant knowledge gaps remain. Most studies conducted in small-scale settings, which may not accurately reflect real-world, industrial conditions. There significant uncertainties, with authors highlighting fact that future impact large-scale production is largely unknown. especially true given claims can be fed on waste frass fertiliser, considerable challenges overcome at scale. Lastly, most based foods replace plant-based products limited rather than meat, several indicate insects-based feeds pet larger conventional products. By providing comprehensive overview, this highlights key areas further research ensures policymakers clearer picture remaining uncertainties surrounding emerging industry.

Language: Английский

Edible Insects: A New Sustainable Nutritional Resource Worth Promoting DOI Creative Commons
Mengjiao Li,

Chengjuan Mao,

Xin Li

et al.

Foods, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(22), P. 4073 - 4073

Published: Nov. 9, 2023

Edible insects are a highly nutritious source of protein and enjoyed by people all over the world. Insects contain various other nutrients beneficial compounds, such as lipids, vitamins minerals, chitin, phenolic antimicrobial peptides, which contribute to good health. The practice insect farming is far more resource-efficient compared traditional agriculture animal husbandry, requiring less land, energy, water, resulting in significantly lower carbon footprint. In fact, 12 25 times efficient than animals converting low-protein feed into protein. When it comes production per unit area, only requires about one-eighth land needed for beef production. Moreover, generates minimal waste, can consume food biomass that would otherwise go contributing circular economy promotes resource recycling reuse. be fed with agricultural unused plant stems scraps. Additionally, excrement produced used fertilizer crops, completing chain. Despite undeniable sustainability nutritional benefits consuming insects, widespread acceptance incorporating our daily diets still has long way go. This paper provides comprehensive overview value edible development processing technologies, problems faced marketing products foods improve reference how choose insects.

Language: Английский

Citations

30
Exploring sustainable alternatives in aquaculture feeding: The role of insects DOI Creative Commons
Rafaela Regina Fantatto, Joana Mota,

Carolina Ligeiro

et al.

Aquaculture Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 37, P. 102228 - 102228

Published: July 13, 2024

The aquaculture sector faces uncertainty due to environmental changes, economic factors, and availability of food resources. Conventional aquatic feeds heavily depend on fishmeal. This results in sustainability challenges overexploitation wild fish stocks, rising costs, impacts, which has driven the search for innovative sustainable alternatives, such as insects. European Union legislation evolved allow use certain insect species aquafeeds, favoring market access approval additional species. However, regulations still need be standardized across countries substrates approved feed clearly defined, since nutritional composition insects diet. These ingredients have high potential replace fishmeal feeds, although, present regarding optimal growth digestibility, specially chitin composition, that overcome. its derivatives may also positive effects prebiotic immunomodulator. insect-based protein sources several benefits, efficient nutrient utilization, short maturation periods, profitability, addressing associated with conventional aquafeed ingredients. Scientific studies indicate improve flesh quality, strengthen immune system, reduce disease susceptibility farmed fish, promoting productive systems. integration alternative can offer a promising path towards environmentally friendly Based research available this topic, review aimed evaluate real using raw-materials their growth, immunological response, resistance, safety fish.

Language: Английский

Citations

12
Applications of insect nutrition resources in animal production DOI Creative Commons

Zou Xu,

Mengyao Liu, Xiangxin Li

et al.

Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15, P. 100966 - 100966

Published: Jan. 9, 2024

The foreseeable global animal production pressure has triggered people to search for sustainable novel feed resources. As the most abundant species in world, insects are considered be an alternative source. This review is give comprehensive analysis of insect as feed. In recent years, been used poultry, livestock production, aquaculture and pets. Positive impacts using source include nutritional enrichment, economic benefits environmental merits. Also, barriers related products evaluation, breeding scale, consumer acceptance legislation. paper will helpful laying foundation in-depth development utilization

Language: Английский

Citations

11
A comprehensive review on the potential applications of medicine Polygonatum species in the food sector DOI

Mi Li,

Bingzong Xie,

Lewen Li

et al.

Food Bioscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 60, P. 104116 - 104116

Published: April 17, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

8
Insect-based livestock feeds are unlikely to become economically viable in the near future DOI Creative Commons

Corentin Biteau,

Tom Bry-Chevalier, Dustin Crummett

et al.

Food and Humanity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3, P. 100383 - 100383

Published: Aug. 23, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

6
Analysis of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) frass as a resource for a sustainable agriculture in the current context of insect farming industry growth DOI Creative Commons

Irene Zunzunegui,

Jorge Martín‐Garcia, O. Santamaría

et al.

Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 460, P. 142608 - 142608

Published: May 18, 2024

With the ongoing rapid growth of human population, industrial development mass insect rearing for feed and food is gaining momentum. This approach has proved to be a more efficient effective alternative traditional livestock produce animal protein. In this context, Tenebrio molitor production sector emerges as highly promising in edible market, being among most commonly bred species large-scale industry. A recent modification European regulatory framework matter authorized insect-produced pigs poultry, which will boost creation new industries, resulting huge quantities frass, excrement, that could valorized. by-product holds substantial amounts nutrients advantageous microorganisms have enormous potential organic farming. It typically exhibits high content an abundance essential like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), alongside narrow carbon (C) (N) ratio. addition providing plants with macronutrients, frass been discovered soil microbial biomass introduce biomolecules microbes foster plant growth. The study utilizing sustainable agriculture relatively actively researched field years. By conducting comprehensive review peer reviewed papers, article highlights advantages associated effects its use fertilizer. Among these, effect (1) promoter productivity enhancer (2) phytofortifyer against biotic abiotic stresses, underlined studies. regard promoting effect, it observed depend very much on dose type crop, remarkably favourable results many tests carried out. Hence, derived from yellow mealworm food, serve important potent source fertilizer intensive horticultural crops or high-value woody crops, contributing agriculture, can decrease conventional synthetic agrochemicals.

Language: Английский

Citations

5
Frass and Furious: Unfolding the Potential of Insect Frass as Soil Fertilizer DOI Creative Commons
Christos G. Athanassiou, Christos I. Rumbos

Agrochemicals, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(1), P. 1 - 1

Published: Jan. 28, 2025

Over the past decade, insect farming has garnered significant scientific and commercial attention due to its potential as a sustainable efficient alternative nutrient source for both animal feed [...]

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Dietary inclusion of Tenebrio molitor L. frass affects nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation activities, blood metabolites, and milk performance in goats DOI Creative Commons

Hanan Hassanien,

M. Abou El-Fadel,

Mohamed F. El‐Badawy

et al.

Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 101727 - 101727

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Review: Insects as a novel feed ingredient: processing technologies, quality and safety considerations DOI Creative Commons
G Rossi, Marios Psarianos, Shikha Ojha

et al.

animal, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 101495 - 101495

Published: March 1, 2025

The current food system is placing significant strain on limited available resources. Novel protein sources have been suggested as a potential solution for ensuring further growth without compromising the natural balance of planet. In this direction, edible insects appear to be crucial players. Consumers may not always prefer direct use human food, indicating that indirect animal feed might more suitable. Insects are characterised by high nutritional value and similar digestibility compared traditional such soybean meal fishmeal. However, effective introduction in diets requires one or processing operations. Processing paramount microbiological safety while improving quality, palatability insect. Additionally, could allow combination insect-based ingredients with other ingredients, obtaining uniform stable mixture, which can easily conveniently provided farmed animals. review, an overview most common methods (blanching, grinding, drying, mixing, extrusion) applied aim delivering high-quality presented. Each step carefully evaluated, pros cons each operation considered important recommendations provided. Barriers opportunities advancing within sector finally illustrated. A strong emphasis placed need evaluating effect any quality insect-derived products, particularly considering possibility replacing materials.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
The ‘One Nutrition’ approach: connecting crop production, animal nutrition and human nutrition DOI Creative Commons
L. Pinotti, F. Cheli, Camilla Govoni

et al.

Italian Journal of Animal Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 24(1), P. 978 - 987

Published: April 17, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0