Insects as an Alternative Protein Source Y. Akhtar*’, M.B. Isman* “University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 'DE Labs Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada 10.1 Introduction Entomophagy, the consumption of insects as food, has been a common practice in many cultures for centuries. Insects are currently consumed in different forms by an estimated 2 billion people across Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and Australia not only because they taste good but also because they are a nutritious and inexpensive food source. There are ~1500-2000 species of recorded edible insects worldwide which constitutes a mere fraction of the ~1,000,000 species of insect described to date. Globally, the most commonly consumed insects are the ones that are readily available (Fig. 10.1 and Table 10.1) such as beetles (Coleoptera: 31%), caterpillars (Lepidoptera: 18%), bees, wasps, and ants (Hymenoptera: 14%), grasshoppers, locusts and crickets (Orthoptera: 13%), cicadas, leathoppers, plan- thoppers, scale insects, and true bugs (Hemiptera: 10%), termites (Isoptera: 3%), dragonflies (Odonata: 3%), flies (Diptera: 2%), and others (5%) (van Huis et al., 2013). The highest consumption of insects is in Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Jongema, 2015). Despite their popularity in developing countries, consumer ac- ceptance in Western countries is still very low, but this might change, as it did, for example, with sushi (van Huis, 2013). Insects can be consumed in whole or they can be incorporated in different dishes such as salads, sauces, cookies, and other baked goods (Fig. 10.2). Proteins in Fod Processing. htpss/da.og/101016975-0.08-100722-8.00011-5a a > Fig. 10.1 Commonly consumed insects (top lefi—termite; top right—wax moth larva; middle left—chapulines; middle right—house fly; bottom left—hornworm caterpillar; bottom right— silk moth caterpillar), Table 10.1 Crude protein content (% dry matter) by insect order Insect order Images Protein content (%) Coleoptera 23-66 Beetles, weevils Lepidoptera 14-68 Butterflies, moth Hemiptera 42-14 True bugs Hymenoptera 13.77 Bees, wasps, ants Odonata 46-65 Dragonflies Damselflies Orthoptera 23-65 Grasshoppers Locust, crickets Source: Modified from Xiaoming, C,, Ying, F, Hong, Z., 2010. Review of the nutritive value of edible insects, Edible Insects and Other Invertebrates in Australia: Future Prospects. Proceedings of a Workshop on Asia-Pacific Resources and their Potential for Development, 19-21 February 2008, Bangkok, pp. 85-92Insects as an Alternative Protein Source 265 Fig. 10.2 Addition of insects (whole or powder) in different dishes (dishes were prepared by YA and Yousta Syeda; image was taken by DM), By 2050 the world’s population is expected to reach or exceed 9 billion and global demand for food, feed, and fiber is expected to grow by 70% (FAO, 2009). Exacerbating this issue is the ever-increasing encroachment on some of the most productive arable land by sprawling urban and industrial development, and the in- creasing competition for fresh water between urban settlements and food produc- tion systems, Another conflict is the two-pronged attack on natural habitats and their incumbent biodiversity from both urbanization and food production. Finally, food production systems will need to adapt to global climate change even if mitigation of greenhouse gas production is suecessful in the near future. In summary, food produc- ers will be forced to increase their output per unit of land while conserving precious freshwater resources. Thus, alternative solutions to conventional livestock and feed sources urgently need to be developed. For this reason, insects show great potential for food and feed as an environmentally friendly choice in future food systems. Several ben- cficial aspects support an increased utilization of insects as a sustainable animal protein source. Insects are often high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. They have low impact on resources and the environment by emitting less greenhouse gases, requiring less water and space and are extremely efficient at converting ingested matter into biomass compared to their vertebrate counterparts in traditional hus- bandry. The consumption of insects, therefore, contributes positively to the envi- ronment and the human health. This chapter is aimed at providing an overview of the nutritional aspects of entomophagy and the environmental impact of rearing insects as a sustainable alternative protein source along with the challenges en- countered in this area.