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Entomophagy and the Nexus Between Human and Planetary Health

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Handbook of Human and Planetary Health

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

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Abstract

Insect consumption complements the daily diet of about two billion people in the tropic regions of the world, while the idea of employing insects as food is getting traction also in areas of the global north. Entomologists identified more than two thousand species of insects as edible. Others pointed out that raising insects possesses distinctive environmental benefits, including getting potential for contributing to human nutrition and health. For example, insects can be grown on various organic substrates, from livestock manure to food and crop residues thus, adding value to agricultural waste, while reducing pollution from disposal of the same, and contamination risks for soil, air and water. Also, insects generate less greenhouse gases (GHGs), they are high feed converters and require less water than typical farm animals, while posing minimal risks of transmitting zoonotic illnesses. The purpose of this study consisted in reviewing the status of insect foods safety and nutritional power for their inclusion in the human diet, while assessing their health potential, extensible to a planetary scale, should entomophagy expand further and get established, worldwide. Also, this work was framed within the urgent need of achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of agenda 2030, with a special focus on SGD#2 (zero hunger) and SDG#3 (good health and well-being).

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  1. Biology Department, Winona State University, Winona, MN, USA

    Bruno Borsari

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    Walter Leal Filho

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Borsari, B. (2022). Entomophagy and the Nexus Between Human and Planetary Health. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Handbook of Human and Planetary Health. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09879-6_3

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