UN Releases Report on Edible Insects and Food Safety

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has released a report examining potential challenges in the production of food developed from edible insects. “The farming of insects for food and feed is relatively recent and brings with it both benefits and challenges, some of which this publication explores,” the report states. “The regulatory frameworks that govern edible insects in various regions are discussed. In addition, the document highlights some of the other challenges, such as research gaps and scaling up production, that the insect sector will need to overcome if it is to have a more global reach.”

In addition to consideration of allergenicity of insects, the document covers “some of the major food safety hazards that should be considered, including biological agents (bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic) as well as chemical contaminants (pesticides, toxic metals, flame retardants). Safe and successful insect production must include efforts to prevent, detect, identify and mitigate such food safety concerns.”