Edible insects for food security: Overcoming cultural, legal and tech barriers to wider adoption

Global population growth and increasing protein demand are placing unprecedented strain on traditional livestock systems, which contribute substantially to environmental degradation. Edible insects have emerged as a sustainable source of protein, offering high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Insects have a significantly lower requirement for land and water compared to traditional farm animals, and a large proportion have much higher feed-to-protein conversion ratios. Crickets, mealworms, and black soldier fly larvae are frequently cited due to their high productivity. Many species can be reared on organic waste, aligning insect farming with circular economy principles and enhancing environmental sustainability. In spite of these benefits, entomophagy has its challenges, which include cultural opposition and technological constraints on agricultural and food processing innovations. Insects are not new to the consumption in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and have been in their traditional diets, but when it comes to Western regions, where the norm has been to treat insects as novel food, extensive safety hazard procedures are recommended to be conducted before they can be commercialised. Such a difference applies especially to international trade between areas, where entomophagy has been well established, and Crick and others (1995) areas where it is new. Addressing these barriers through public education, clearer safety standards, and advances in insect farming technologies could improve cultural acceptance and accelerate mainstream adoption. This review examines the nutritional composition of edible insects, their role in sustainable agriculture, and the cultural, legal, and technical barriers to their integration into global food systems, highlighting their potential to strengthen food security and support environmentally responsible diets.