In North America, eating bugs only goes so far as gummy worms or Fear Factor, but in Thailand, people are serious when it comes to edible insect farming. 'Six-legged livestock: Edible insect farming, collection and marketing in Thailand' is a guide endorsed by the United Nations in response to world food security; it contains information on more than 1,600 species that are reported as edible insects.
This handbook was released by the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization as a response to the global food crisis. The UN believes malnutrition and the growing demand for food can be accommodated by bugs that are rich in vitamins, protein and minerals.
Residents of rural Thailand have long been consuming insects. Cricket farming alone there is a $30 million industry; whether or not other species of edible insects will be commercially marketed is an interesting and unpredictable topic.
What's Driving This Trend
- Edible Insect Farming
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop sustainable and efficient methods for large-scale edible insect farming to meet the growing demand for alternative protein sources.
- Food Security
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create technologies and systems to enhance global food security by promoting the consumption and production of edible insects as a nutritious and sustainable food source.
- Alternative Protein Sources
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore new ways to produce and market alternative protein sources like edible insects to address the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally-friendly food options.
Who This Affects Most
- Agriculture
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce insect farming technologies and practices to boost agricultural productivity and promote the cultivation of edible insects as a viable industry.
- Food and Beverage
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop insect-based food products and explore new culinary applications for edible insects to cater to the rising consumer interest in sustainable and novel food options.
- Nutritional Supplements
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize edible insects as a rich source of vitamins, protein, and minerals to create innovative nutritional supplements that offer an alternative to traditional sources.
