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Review
. 2021 Aug 5;30(8):1003-1023.
doi: 10.1007/s10068-021-00942-8. eCollection 2021 Aug.

Biological activity and processing technologies of edible insects: a review

Jae Hoon Lee  1 , Tae-Kyung Kim  1 , Chang Hee Jeong  2 , Hae In Yong  1 , Ji Yoon Cha  1 , Bum-Keun Kim  1 , Yun-Sang Choi  1
Affiliations
Review

Biological activity and processing technologies of edible insects: a review

Jae Hoon Lee et al. Food Sci Biotechnol. .

Abstract

The burgeoning global population growth has raised concerns regarding the expected increase in the demand for food, which could be partially tackled by identifying novel food sources. To this end, edible insects have recently attracted research interest. Several technologies for utilizing edible insect-derived proteins have been introduced; however, research into their functional utilization is insufficient. Herein, we reviewed the relevant literature on the importance of insects as food sources, extraction of edible insects, the nutritional value of insects, biological activities of components, and their applications in food industries. We summarized the studies primarily focused on the functional utilization of edible insects, suggesting that for successful incorporation and growth of edible insects in food and pharmaceutical industries, strategies to improve the extraction methods are required to explore the biological activity of edible insects. Furthermore, the awareness of edible insects with a focus on their allergens warrants consideration.

Keywords: Biological activity; Edible insect; Entomophagy; Food resources; Processing technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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