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An analysis of emerging food safety and fraud risks of novel insect proteins within complex supply chains
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Document Title
An analysis of emerging food safety and fraud risks of novel insect proteins within complex supply chains
Author
Traynor A. Burns D.T. Wu D. Karoonuthaisiri N. Petchkongkaew A. Elliott C.T.
Affiliations
Institute for Global Food Security School of Biological Sciences Queen抯 University of Belfast Northern Ireland Belfast BT9 5DL United Kingdom; National Measurement Laboratory: Centre of Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity Institute for Global Food Security School of Biological Sciences Queen抯 University Belfast 19 Chlorine Gardens Northern Ireland Belfast BT9 5DL United Kingdom; National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology National Science and Technology Development Agency 111 Thailand Science Park Phahonyothin Road Pathumthani 12120 Thailand; International Joint Research Centre on Food Security (IJC-FOODSEC) 113 Thailand Science Park Phahonyothin Road Pathum Thani Khong Luang 12120 Thailand; School of Food Science and Technology Faculty of Science and Technology Thammasat University 99 Mhu 18 Phahonyothin road Pathum Thani Khong Luang 12120 Thailand
Type
Review
Source Title
npj Science of Food
ISSN
23968370
Year
2024
Volume
8
Issue
1
Open Access
All Open Access Gold
Publisher
Nature Research
DOI
10.1038/s41538-023-00241-y
Abstract
Food consumption play a crucial role in human life yet conventional food production and consumption patterns can be detrimental to the environment. Thus research and development has been directed towards alternative proteins with edible insects being promising sources. Edible insects have been recognised for their sustainable benefits providing protein with less emission of greenhouse gas land and water usage compared to sources such as beef chicken and dairy products. Among the over 2000 known edible insect species only four namely yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) migratory locust/grasshopper (Locusta migratoria) grain mould beetle also known as lesser mealworm which is a larval form of Alphitobius diaperinus (from the family of Tenebrionidae of darkling beetles) and house cricket (Acheta domesticus) are currently authorised in specific products through specific producers in the EU. The expansion of such foods into Western diets face challenges such as consumer barriers gaps in microbiological and chemical safety hazard data during production and processing and the potential for fraudulent supply chain activity. The main aim of this study was to map the supply chain through interviews with personnel along the supply chain coupled with searches for relevant publications and governmental documents. Thus the main potential points of food safety and fraud along the edible insect supply chain were identified. Feed substrate was identified as the main area of concern regarding microbiological and chemical food safety and novel processing techniques were forecast to be of most concern for future fraudulent activity. Despite the on-going authorisation of insect species in many countries there are substantial food safety and authenticity information gaps in this industry that need to be addressed before edible insects can be viewed as a safe and sustainable protein sources by Western consumers. ? 2024 The Author(s).
Industrial Classification
Knowledge Taxonomy Level 1
Knowledge Taxonomy Level 2
Knowledge Taxonomy Level 3
License
CC BY
Rights
Authors
Publication Source
Scopus