Year of publication 2013

The subject of edible insects inherently covers a wide range of thematic areas, from the conservation of habitats where insects are harvested to insect ecology, the artificial rearing of insect species, the processing of insects into food and feed products, and the labelling and marketing of insect-based food and feed products. This publication, therefore, draws from a wide range of disciplines and areas of expertise. It is a multidisciplinary effort involving technical experts specializing in forestry, animal farming, nutrition, the feed industry, legislation and food security policies. This publication marks the first attempt by FAO to document all aspects of the insect food and feed value chain, with the aim of enabling a comprehensive assessment of the contribution of insects to food and feed security. It includes original research from around the world, such as that carried out at Wageningen University. It also incorporates findings from the International Expert Consultation on Assessing the Potential of Insects as Food and Feed in Assuring Food Security, which took place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, on 23–25 January 2012.