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Insect Rearing: Potential, Challenges, and Circularity

Author

Listed:
  • Lorenzo A. Cadinu

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Paolo Barra

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Francesco Torre

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Francesco Delogu

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Fabio A. Madau

    (Department of Agriculture, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

Environmental pollution, population increase, water availability and misuse of land are inexorably driving humans to take on important challenges related to sustainability. The next future is expected to see a significant increase of food and feed demands, which determines a serious threat to well-being levels and even survival of modern societies. Within this scenario, the efficient and sustainable use of insects as protein sources has been invoked as a possible strategic solution. As a candidate for remarkable growth, insect farming promises significant benefits to agri-food industry, offering interesting opportunities for implementing circular economy. In the present work, we review selected literature on insect rearing with the aim of providing a short rigorous introduction to the field to researchers, entrepreneurs and common readers. After a general overview of the field, including a description of insect nutritional values, the review focuses on the three insect species that are seemingly set to beneficially affect aquaculture, which is the activity presently more sensitive to circularity and sustainability innovation. Once traditional and advanced insect rearing methods are described, the challenges that the field is going to tackle are suitably highlighted.

Suggested Citation

  • Lorenzo A. Cadinu & Paolo Barra & Francesco Torre & Francesco Delogu & Fabio A. Madau, 2020. "Insect Rearing: Potential, Challenges, and Circularity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4567-:d:366883
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Laura Gasco & Fabio A. Madau & Pietro Pulina, 2019. "The Introduction of Insect Meal into Fish Diet: The First Economic Analysis on European Sea Bass Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-16, March.
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    6. Premalatha, M. & Abbasi, Tasneem & Abbasi, Tabassum & Abbasi, S.A., 2011. "Energy-efficient food production to reduce global warming and ecodegradation: The use of edible insects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4357-4360.
    7. Heather Looy & Florence Dunkel & John Wood, 2014. "How then shall we eat? Insect-eating attitudes and sustainable foodways," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(1), pages 131-141, March.
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    6. Andrea Boccardo & Geoffrey Hagelaar & Catriona Lakemond, 2023. "Evaluation of crises suitability of food systems: a comparison of alternative protein sources," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(6), pages 1647-1665, December.
    7. Adriana Reyes-Lúa & Julian Straus & Vidar T. Skjervold & Goran Durakovic & Tom Ståle Nordtvedt, 2021. "A Novel Concept for Sustainable Food Production Utilizing Low Temperature Industrial Surplus Heat," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-23, August.
    8. Arnold L. Musungu & Beatrice W. Muriithi & Changeh J. Ghemoh & Dorothy Nakimbugwe & Chrysantus M. Tanga, 2023. "Production, consumption, and market supply of edible crickets: insights from East Africa," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    9. María Cámara-Ruiz & Alberto Sánchez-Venegas & Nuria Blasco-Lavilla & M. Dolores Hernández & Francisca Sánchez-Liarte & David Fernández-Gutiérrez & Andrés J. Lara-Guillén, 2023. "Comparative Assessment of Insect Processing Technologies for Sustainable Insect Protein Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    10. Lehmad, Manal & Hidra, Nawfal & Lhomme, Patrick & Mghazli, Safa & EL Hachimi, Youssef & Abdenouri, Naji, 2024. "Environmental, economic and quality assessment of hybrid solar-electric drying of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).

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