Large-scale insect farming has been found to potentially pose biological and chemical hazards due to waste production. The European Food Safety Authority, or EFSA, has released the initial risk assessment showing that the risks of edible insects on human and animal health depend on how the insects were processed for production.

The EFSA researchers analysed the potential biological, chemical and environmental hazards as well as allergenicity risk linked with the farmed insects. The edible insects are considered as another option to sustain the growing food and water scarcity due to population growth.

The European Commission, which requested the risk assessment, already received the findings. The commission suggests that insect production should have the applicable waste management strategies to prevent the possible environmental risk from large-scale insect farming, the BBC reported.

The researchers observed the specific production methods of insect farms, the substrate used, stage of harvest and the species of insects being produced. The methods for further processing of insect food and feeds have also been assessed, which together with other factors, could pose an impact on the possible biological and chemical contaminants in insect products.

An investigation on the role of edible insects in terms of growing food and nutrition security in people's diet has been recently conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, or FAO. The UN has suggested that edible insects would aid a sustainable source of nutrition for a growing population, which today, more than 1,900 species of insects are being consumed by people on a regular basis across the world.

The UN predicts that the world population would increase to nine billion by 2050, which would force an increased food or feed production from available agro-ecosystems and cause greater pressure on the environment. "Scarcities of agricultural land, water, forest, fisheries and biodiversity resources, as well as nutrients and non-renewable energy are foreseen,” the BBC quoted a UN analysis.

However, the initial risk assessment has only focused to identify the potential risks and hazards of insect farming, according to EFSA scientific officer Tilemachos Goumperis. He noted that the issue of food and nutrition security was not considered for the observation.

Further analysis is required to better assess the microbiological and chemical risks from insects and feed, the report indicated. “Studies on the occurrence of hazards when using particular substrates, like food waste and manure,” are also recommended, it added.

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