3. Edible Insects, a Sustainable Alternative for Human Feeding and Food Processing

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) estimates that the world’s population will exceed 9.1 billion people by 2050. The food demand required for this population is looming as a gigantic challenge. The sufficiency of foods rich in high biological value proteins will be a priority due to their importance in the proper physical and mental development of people. In this scenario, entomophagy, the consumption of insects as a nutrient source, is a viable food alternative that is well aligned with the principle of sustainability. Edible insects, as an unconventional food source, offer a unique opportunity to address the pressing issues of food security and environmental conservation, as their breeding offers significant advantages such as low space and time requirements, independence from cereals for feeding, lower CO₂ emissions, and lower water and land use for growth. In addition, there is a growing interest in their techno-functional properties in order to use them as food ingredients. Moreover, their beneficial effects on consumer health derived from various components make insect breeding an efficient and sustainable option. This chapter critically reviews the opportunities offered by insect consumption to ensure food sufficiency, highlighting their nutritional benefits, positive effects on consumer health, and additional applications in the food industry, thereby positioning edible insects as a unique and multifaceted solution to address the pressing issues of food security and environmental conservation.