a Department of Dairy and Food Science and Technology , Egerton University , Egerton , Kenya.
b International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) , Nairobi , Kenya.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(2):276-298. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1365330. Epub 2017 Oct 17.
In many African cultures, insects are part of the diet of humans and domesticated animals. Compared to conventional food and feed sources, insects have been associated with a low ecological foot print because fewer natural resources are required for their production. To this end, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized the role that edible insects can play in improving global food and nutrition security; processing technologies, as well as packaging and storage techniques that improve shelf-life were identified as being crucial. However, knowledge of these aspects in light of nutritional value, safety, and functionality is fragmentary and needs to be consolidated. This review attempts to contribute to this effort by evaluating the available evidence on postharvest processes for edible insects in Africa, with the aim of identifying areas that need research impetus. It further draws attention to potential postharvest technology options for overcoming hurdles associated with utilization of insects for food and feed. A greater research thrust is needed in processing and this can build on traditional knowledge. The focus should be to establish optimal techniques that improve presentation, quality and safety of products, and open possibilities to diversify use of edible insects for other benefits.
在许多非洲文化中，昆虫是人类和家养动物饮食的一部分。与传统的食物和饲料来源相比，昆虫的生态足迹较低，因为生产它们所需的自然资源较少。为此，联合国粮食及农业组织认识到可食用昆虫在改善全球粮食和营养安全方面可以发挥的作用；确定了加工技术以及包装和储存技术对延长保质期至关重要。然而，鉴于营养价值、安全性和功能性，这些方面的知识是零散的，需要加以整合。本综述试图通过评估非洲可食用昆虫收获后处理的现有证据来为此做出贡献，目的是确定需要研究推动的领域。它进一步提请注意克服将昆虫用于食物和饲料所面临的障碍的潜在收获后技术选择。在加工方面需要更多的研究投入，这可以建立在传统知识的基础上。重点应该是建立最佳技术，以改善产品的外观、质量和安全性，并为可食用昆虫的其他用途开辟多样化的可能性。
