Edible Insects Processing: Traditional and Innovative Technologies

Insects are part of the human diet in many parts of the world. Their nutritional value is widely recognized. Currently, most edible insects are harvested from the wild, although semi-domestication and indoor farming have increased insect availability and the sustainability of production. In traditional cultures, insects are processed in a number of ways (steaming, roasting, smoking, frying, stewing, and curing, among others) to improve their sensory and nutritional qualities as well as their shelf-life. In order to increase consumer interest in the West, various technologies have been developed that are aimed primarily at using insects as ingredients in a non-recognizable form, such as powders or flour. These technologies include drying (sun-drying, freeze-drying, oven-drying, fluidized bed drying, and microwave-drying) and new processing methods (ultrasound-assisted extraction, cold atmospheric pressure plasma, and dry fractionation) designed mainly for protein, fat, and/or chitin extraction. Insect-based ingredients are sold for the production of cookies, chocolates, tortilla-style chips, and other snacks. This review focuses on edible insect production, processing technologies, and commercialization using strategies ranging from traditional to novel as a sustainable approach for improving food security worldwide.