1 / 2023-05-20 00:42:58

Edible Insects in Arresting Inflammatory Diseases and Food Insecurity

Entomophagy,Anti-inflammatory activity,Protein,Food security,Acceptibility

Several communities around the world, have been traditionally eating insects since time immemorial. Food insecurity emerging from climate change, extreme weather events, ongoing global supply chain problems, and unpredictable geopolitical conflicts will impact all nations especially the growing populations of low- and middle-income countries. In pursuance of more accessible, affordable, and sustainable nutrition, insects have come under the limelight and increased scrutiny in recent times due to their perceived importance as a part of multifaceted strategies for achieving global food security.



This study consists of two parts: a survey of entomophagy attitudes and  evaluation of anti-inflammatory activities of several edible insect species identified from the survey.  Additionally, vitamin, and macronutrient content of these species were also investigated. It was found that 25 unique species of edible insects were consumed in north-east India which falls within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot. This study also found that besides being highly proteinaceous, these edible insects possessed peptides with high anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammation in the body has been found to be the causative agent for most chronic diseases. Inflammation also hastens the ageing process. The edible insects in this study, with their observed nutrient profile and anti-inflammatory properties, are a suitable addition or replacement to diets across the globe. They are also fitted be a solution to food insecurity in the low- and middle-income nations and the ever-increasing demand for food in general. An interesting finding of this investigation was that the major reason for consumption of insects among the studied communities was their superior taste. Nutritional benefits are recent revelations and is often not a factor for consumption among the traditional insect-consuming  communities. This finding can be instrumental in overcoming the ‘yuck factor’ which is often associated with edible insects among the non-insect eating population of the globe. The present study also highlights the areas in edible insect literature which need more research.