The objective of this review was to carry out a comprehensive investigation of the benefits of incorporating insects as a pet food ingredient and the implications this can have in determining a market demand for insect-based pet foods. Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) and adult house crickets (Acheta domesticus) are currently used in pet food. These insects are widely fed to exotic pets, mainly in whole, live or dehydrated formats. They are also incorporated as meal or fat and are offered to cats and dogs as dry or wet food and treats. Scientific studies about the use of insects for dog and cat feed are scarce. Most studies are in dogs. Research shows that insect nutrients, mainly amino acids, have high digestibility, are beneficial to health, do not have any detrimental effect on the gut microbiota and are accepted by dogs. In several countries, insects are approved for use in pet food and commercialization has spread throughout the world. Pet owners are willing to try foods made with insect meal for their pets. In conclusion, the use of insects in pet food is a reality that is taking on more and more prominence.

No abstract

Este trabajo se dividió en dos etapas, 1) se recopiló información entregada por los productores de huevos de Chile, para estimar las pérdidas de huevos en la cadena productiva y 2) se revisó la información acerca de los posibles usos de los huevos de desecho con foco en su uso alimentario.

Insects have been proposed as an alternative source of nutrients to conventional foods, mainly protein sources because they have excellent nutritional quality and are sustainable. However, there are multiple barriers to mass consumption of insects, primarily the rejection and neophobia they provoke in individuals from Western cultures. Several studies have indicated that the acceptance of insects as food ingredients could be improved “if insects did not look like insects.” Therefore, the focus of current research is to transform commodity-type ingredients such as insect flour and oil through various technologies applied in the food industry such as protein concentration, encapsulation, hydrolysis, fermentation, deodorization, to develop food ingredients with better sensory and technological properties are better accepted by people as a part of their diet. Interestingly, some food ingredients obtained from insects also have functional properties that could increase interest in consumption. These aspects will be reviewed in this chapter for further consideration of insects as food ingredients of the future.

No abstract