Sustainable Utilization of Insect Biodiversity in Agriculture Forestry and Food Systems Resource Utilization, Food Security and Policy Integration

Dear Colleagues,

More than three-quarters of the world's species are insects, representing one of the most potentially sustainable protein sources able to meet protein needs while minimizing environmental impact and addressing the global problem of animal feed production. Most insects are rich in nutrients and are a natural food source for many animals. With strong encouragement from the FAO, the nutritional value of insect resources has been extensively researched in recent years. The consumption of insects from agroforestry ecosystems or insect farms not only contributes protein and other valuable nutrients to the human diet but may also provide health benefits through various insect-derived peptides and bioactive compounds. Currently known functions of highly nutritious and mass-producible insects include, but are not limited to, antioxidant effects, blood lipid-lowering effects, anti-fatigue effects, anti-aging effects, anti-mutagenic effects, immunomodulatory effects, hypoglycemic effects, anti-tumor effects, antibacterial effects, anti-radiation damage effects, and others. Unlike other well-known animal foods, edible insects represent a new food ingredient and an important food source for the future. Hence, the safety issues and potential hazards of insect foods are of great concern. Producing edible insects sustainably will significantly enhance food security.

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Dr. Yu Gao
Prof. Dr. Yunfei Xie
Dr. Menglei Xu
Topic Editors