Insects as Food

"Mothers’ perception on feeding their children with insect-fortified food and the impact of different breeding regimes on the nutritional composition of insects" Insects as Food is one of the selected One Health Funds projects for 2023.

The goal of this project is to identify the bottlenecks for using insects as an alternative source of protein to address malnutrition in low-income countries, specifically in children, and to reduce the environmental impact of meat production. One of the main focuses of the study is to understand mothers' perceptions of feeding their children with insect-fortified food across different African countries. Cultural differences in the acceptance of insect-based foods will also be examined. The project will also evaluate the impact of different breeding regimes on the nutritional composition of selected insects. The market for edible insects is projected to reach $6.3 billion by 2030, making it a promising area of research.