It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the eBook version of "Edible Insects in the Food Sector. Methods, Current Applications and Perspective” is now available.
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-22522-3
A short excerpt from the Preface and Abstract Chapters:
The research behind novel food is relatively young and includes a multitude of scientific disciplines and interests (technology, safety, nutrition, consumer behavior, sensory analysis, regulations, etc.).
New market opportunities for novel products, often derived from non-traditional protein sources, are increasing worldwide; however, consumer acceptability and trust for such alternative foods are often lacking.
This book will explore one of the most discussed and investigated novel foods in recent years: edible insects. Increasing demand for alternative protein sources worldwide had led the FAO to promote the potential of using insects both for feed and food, although it is questioned if consumers, especially in Western countries, will accept the idea of adopting insects as food.
The editors wish to thank the authors of this volume—all renowned scientists and experts in the field of edible insects—for their valuable contributions; the publication of this book would not have been possible without their efforts, hard work, and expertise.
Giovanni Sogari, Cristina Mora & Davide Menozzi
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Chapter 1
Insects as food: risk assessment and their future perspective in Europe
Tilemachos Goumperis
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Whilst insects as food is still a niche market in Europe, the interest of consumers and industry has increased in the last years as insects are seen as an alternative source of protein with nutritional and economic benefits. At the same time, farming, processing and consumption of insectsc and products thereof as food may pose risks and, therefore, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as, national authorities published assessments or guidelines discussing these aspects. According to the EU regulatory framework, insects and their products are considered “novel foods”.
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Chapter 2
Insects as food in the Global North - the evolution of the entomophagy movement
Charlotte Payne*, Rudy Caparros Megido, Darja Dobermann, Francis Frédéric, Marianne Shockley, Giovanni Sogari
* Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, David Attenborough Building, UK. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In this chapter we describe how and why multiple sectors - academia, media, industry - have begun to popularise and call for a resurgence in the use of insects as food in Europe and the US, despite tenacious taboos.
We begin with an overview of the history of insect consumption in the Global North. We describe the beginnings of an active interest in rediscovering insect consumption, beginning with a handful of entomologists who saw the potential of insects as an alternative to meat for reasons of taste, nutrition and environmental impact. We also discuss the shifts in societal attitudes towards insects as food, critical gaps in research, and market opportunities for current and future entrepreneurs in the field.
In the coming days I will present the abstract of the other chapters...
