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Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems...
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Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 4939

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alessandra Verardi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Regenerative Circular Bioeconomy, Division of Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Department for Sustainability, ENEA—Trisaia Research Centre, S.S. Jonica 106, Km 419+500, I-75026 Rotondella, Matera, Italy
Interests: bioproducts; bioactive compounds; alternative protein sources; novel foods; bioconversions; extraction; biotechnology in the food industry; waste valorization
Dr. Simona Errico

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Regenerative Circular Bioeconomy, Division of Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Department for Sustainability, ENEA—Trisaia Research Centre, S.S. Jonica 106, Km 419+500, I-75026 Rotondella, Matera, Italy
Interests: alternative protein sources; edible insects; novel foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Costanza Jucker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 2, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: insects for protein production; insect rearing; evaluation of by-products as insect feed; exotic insects; biological control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paola Sangiorgio

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Regenerative Circular Bioeconomy, Division of Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Department for Sustainability, ENEA—Trisaia Research Centre, S.S. Jonica 106, Km 419+500, I-75026 Rotondella, Matera, Italy
Interests: by-products valorization; high-added value molecules; bioproducts; downstream processing; alternative protein sources; novel foods; sensory analysis; reference materials
Prof. Dr. Vincenza Calabrò

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronics and Systems Engineering (DIMES), University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: transport phenomena; bioconversions; production of biofuels; extraction; membranes; biotechnology in the food industry; modeling; waste valorization; wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the global demand for sustainable food systems increases, edible insects are emerging as a promising solution due to their high nutritional value, environmental benefits, and versatile applications. Beyond their role as an alternative protein source for human and animal nutrition, edible insects hold potential for diverse industrial uses, including producing valuable bioproducts such as biofertilizers and biopolymers, establishing them as crucial components within a circular bioeconomy. Investigating all dimensions of edible insect utilization safe-rearing practices, environmental impacts, nutritional quality of insect-derived ingredients, and industrial applications is essential. Such research aims to deepen the understanding and foster sustainable practices in edible insect production, contributing to a resilient and resource-efficient future in food systems and beyond. The goal of this Special Issue is to advance this evolving field by promoting new insights and sustainable practices, solidifying the role of edible insects in the future of food systems and sustainable bioproducts.

Dr. Alessandra Verardi
Dr. Simona Errico
Dr. Costanza Jucker
Dr. Paola Sangiorgio
Prof. Dr. Vincenza Calabrò
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable food systems
  • environmental impacts
  • alternative protein sources
  • circular bioeconomy
  • industrial applications
  • bioproducts
  • sustainable insect production
  • sustainable practices

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 4022 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Analysis of Bacterial Communities and Microbiological Quality of Frozen Edible Insects
by Sasiprapa Krongdang, Nipitpong Sawongta, Jintana Pheepakpraw, Achirawit Ngamsomchat, Sutee Wangtueai, Jittimon Wongsa, Thanya Parametthanuwat, Narin Charoenphun and Thararat Chitov
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132347 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 304
Abstract
Edible insects are gaining traction worldwide; however, the existing data regarding their microbiological quality remain inadequate. This study investigated the bacterial communities and microbiological quality of five types of frozen edible insects commercially available in Thailand. Amplicon sequencing revealed Firmicutes (Bacillota) and Proteobacteria [...] Read more.
Edible insects are gaining traction worldwide; however, the existing data regarding their microbiological quality remain inadequate. This study investigated the bacterial communities and microbiological quality of five types of frozen edible insects commercially available in Thailand. Amplicon sequencing revealed Firmicutes (Bacillota) and Proteobacteria (Pseudomonadota) as the main phyla across all samples; Bacteroidota was predominant in house crickets, Actinobacteriota in silkworms, and Desulfobacterota was exclusively found in house and mole crickets. Culture-based assays showed total viable counts, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts–molds, and spore-formers ranging from 3.41–6.58, 2.52–7.41, 1.83–5.62, to 2.00–4.70 log CFU·g−1, respectively. In some samples, Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli, key hygiene indicators, reached 5.05 and 2.70 log CFU·g−1, respectively. Among foodborne pathogens, presumptive Bacillus cereus was found to vary from <1.70 to 3.93 log CFU·g−1, while Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus were under the quantitation limit, and Salmonella was absent. Overall, the results indicate significant variation in microbial diversity and quality among different insect types. The high levels of microbial hygiene indicators and foodborne pathogens in some samples raised food safety concerns and point to the need to develop or implement production guidelines and microbiological criteria for frozen edible insects to ensure food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts)
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20 pages, 7591 KiB  
Article
Production of Protein Hydrolysates with Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Activity from Edible Larvae of Aegiale hesperiaris and Comadia redtenbacheri
by Eduardo R. Garrido-Ortiz and Jocksan I. Morales-Camacho
Foods 2025, 14(12), 2124; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14122124 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 446
Abstract
The search for sustainable and health-promoting food sources has increased interest in edible insects, which are rich in proteins and bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical applications. In this study, we evaluated the bioactive properties of protein hydrolysates derived from Aegiale hesperiaris (maguey white [...] Read more.
The search for sustainable and health-promoting food sources has increased interest in edible insects, which are rich in proteins and bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical applications. In this study, we evaluated the bioactive properties of protein hydrolysates derived from Aegiale hesperiaris (maguey white worm, WW) and Comadia redtenbacheri (maguey red worm, RW), two culturally and economically significant insect species in Mexico. Hydrolysates were obtained via enzymatic treatments: either single hydrolysis with pepsin (PH) or sequential hydrolysis with pepsin followed by trypsin (PTH). The PTH hydrolysates exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical inhibition above 90% and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity between 75–85%. Additionally, they showed significant angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, reaching IC50 values of 0.35 and 0.017 μg/mL for WWPH and RWPH, respectively—the latter outperforming the commercial drug Enalapril (IC50 = 0.11 μg/mL). SDS-PAGE analysis revealed low molecular weight peptides (<10 kDa), especially between 5–9 kDa, associated with enhanced bioactivity. Peptides from RW also showed low Hill coefficients, suggesting a gradual and sustained interaction with ACE. These findings support the use of insect-derived hydrolysates as promising multifunctional ingredients for the development of functional foods targeting cardiovascular health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts)
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19 pages, 2695 KiB  
Article
Edible Insect Meals as Bioactive Ingredients in Sustainable Snack Bars
by Francesca Coppola, Silvia Jane Lombardi and Patrizio Tremonte
Foods 2025, 14(4), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040702 - 18 Feb 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1257
Abstract
Insect metabolites are known for their preservative potential, but the time-consuming and unsustainable extraction process compromises their transferability. This study aimed to identify user-friendly solutions based on the use of insect meals that could improve microbiological safety as well as consumer acceptability. In [...] Read more.
Insect metabolites are known for their preservative potential, but the time-consuming and unsustainable extraction process compromises their transferability. This study aimed to identify user-friendly solutions based on the use of insect meals that could improve microbiological safety as well as consumer acceptability. In this regard, the antimicrobial activity of Alphitobius diaperinus and Tenebrio molitor meals against surrogate strains of Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) pathogenic bacteria and mycotoxin-producing fungi (Penicillium expansum) was evaluated. Minimum inhibitory concentration values of between 3.12 mg/mL vs. Listeria innocua and 12.50 mg/mL vs. Escherichia coli were found. Based on this finding, a model food was developed also considering consumer acceptance. Statistical analysis of food preferences showed that nutritional and sustainability claims were the independent variables of greatest interest. Therefore, waste or by-products from other food chains were selected as co-ingredients for sustainability, nutritional, and sensory claims. Analysis of the chemical composition showed that the insect bar-style snack qualifies as a “high-protein” food, as protein provides more than 20% of the energy value. Based on the moisture (30%) and water activity (0.77) values, the bar could be classified as an intermediate-moisture food. The challenge test showed that the insect meal prevented the proliferation of intentionally added undesirable microorganisms. Conclusively, the findings complement the knowledge on the antimicrobial activities of insect meals, offering new possibilities for their use as natural preservative ingredients with nutritionally relevant properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts)
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31 pages, 21450 KiB  
Article
Edible Insects: Global Research Trends, Biosafety Challenges, and Market Insights in the Mexican Context
by Keyla Cruz-García, Yolanda Donají Ortiz-Hernández, Marco Aurelio Acevedo-Ortiz, Teodulfo Aquino-Bolaños, Tlacaelel Aquino-López, Gema Lugo-Espinosa and Fernando Elí Ortiz-Hernández
Foods 2025, 14(4), 663; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040663 - 15 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2257
Abstract
The growing global interest in edible insects as a sustainable protein source has positioned them as a promising solution to food security challenges. In Mexico, entomophagy is deeply embedded in cultural traditions, particularly in Oaxaca, where grasshoppers, leafcutter ants, and red agave worms [...] Read more.
The growing global interest in edible insects as a sustainable protein source has positioned them as a promising solution to food security challenges. In Mexico, entomophagy is deeply embedded in cultural traditions, particularly in Oaxaca, where grasshoppers, leafcutter ants, and red agave worms form an integral part of the region’s intangible heritage. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of global research on edible insects (2009–2023) using Scopus and tools such as VOSviewer and Bibliometrix to analyze 218 publications. The analysis highlighted research trends, influential authors, and key themes, including nutrition, biosafety, and sustainability. To complement the bibliometric study, an exploratory analysis of edible insect commercialization in Oaxaca was conducted, focusing on virtual platforms and local markets. The findings reveal consistent global growth in edible insect research, with Mexico contributing six publications between 2020 and 2023. Despite advancements in safety standards and regulatory frameworks globally, Mexico still lacks formal sanitary controls and regulations for insect-based products. Nevertheless, its diverse commercialization efforts and rich cultural heritage, particularly in Oaxaca, showcase its potential to bridge tradition and innovation. This study highlights the urgent need for regulatory frameworks and research capacity to ensure safety, preserve cultural identity, and sustainably expand Mexico’s edible insect market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts)
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