Publisher's Synopsis
Much progress has been made in reducing hunger and poverty and improving food security and nutrition. Gains in productivity and technological advances have contributed to more efficient resource use and improved food safety. But major concerns persist. Some 795 million people still suffer from hunger, and more than two billion from micronutrient deficiencies or forms of overnourishment. In addition, global food security could be in jeopardy, due to mounting pressures on natural resources and to climate change, both of which threaten the sustainability of food systems at large. Planetary boundaries may well be surpassed, if current trends continue. However, because of their biological composition, several issues should be considered, such as microbial safety, toxicity, palatability, and the presence of inorganic compounds. Specific health implications ought to be kept in mind especially if mushrooms, earthworms, or insects are reared on waste products. Insects are most species-rich resources and one of the largest biological groups in earth organisms. With its wide resources, speed of reproductive growth, lower feed cost, edible insects are an important food source which has immense potential of the development and utilization. The edible insects contain the reasonable structure of nutrition, high nutritional value and numerous functional factors. In addition, the current research results provided a reliable technical support for the large-scale production and processing of edible insects in factory production. Therefore, edible insects have a very broad prospect as food sustainable resources development in future. This volume entitled "Future Foods: Production and Management" brings together innovative research and reviews ranging from mushroom, insect, and earthworm farming to smart packaging and 3D printing of future foods. However, because of their biological composition, several issues should be considered, such as microbial safety, toxicity, palatability, and the presence of inorganic compounds. Specific health implications ought to be kept in mind especially if mushrooms, earthworms, or insects are reared on waste products. Edible insects have gained interest in recent years all over the world as a solution to mitigate the lack of protein in a near future. With more than 9 billion people worldwide in next 20 years, there is a need to guaranty food security. Beyond the population increase, other factors contribute to food and feed insecurity such as climate changes, rising costs of animal protein, and consumer demands for protein. Alternative solutions to conventional livestock and feed sources urgently need to be found, and edible insects are pointed out as one alternative. This volume also aims to identify potential hazards related to edible insects' production and transformation. Preventive measures to their control will be presented considering pre-requirements in their production and transformation.
