Boykin Kimberly L, Mitchell Mark A
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
Vet Sci. 2024 Dec 31;12(1):12. doi: 10.3390/vetsci12010012.
Over the last two decades, the insects-as-food-and-feed industry has rapidly emerged. Its growth is largely because insects require substantially less resources (water, food, and energy) to produce than traditional sources of animal protein, making it a sustainable alternative food option. As this industry continues to grow, veterinarians will likely be called upon to assist in identifying food safety concerns, assessing animal health, implementing biosecurity measures, and formulating/prescribing treatment protocols comparable to what we have seen with the honeybee industry and the institution of veterinary feed directives (VFDs). Similar to other agricultural markets, high animal densities and management practices put insects at high risk for infectious diseases. Veterinarians interested in working with these species will need to become knowledgeable regarding the diseases afflicting the feeder insect industry and how best to diagnose and treat pathogens of concern. Using the edible cricket industry as an example, this review will highlight health and production issues while drawing similarities to other traditional livestock operations. If the insects-as-feed-and-food industry is going to be viable, veterinary involvement will be essential to ensure that insects can be used as a safe source of food for all.
在过去二十年中，昆虫作为食物和饲料的产业迅速兴起。其发展主要是因为与传统动物蛋白来源相比，昆虫生产所需的资源（水、食物和能源）要少得多，这使其成为一种可持续的替代食物选择。随着这个产业的持续发展，兽医可能会被要求协助识别食品安全问题、评估动物健康状况、实施生物安全措施以及制定/开具与我们在蜜蜂产业和兽医饲料指令（VFDs）制度中所见到的类似的治疗方案。与其他农业市场一样，高动物密度和管理方式使昆虫面临传染病的高风险。对与这些物种打交道感兴趣的兽医需要了解困扰饲料昆虫产业的疾病以及如何最好地诊断和治疗相关病原体。以可食用蟋蟀产业为例，本综述将突出健康和生产问题，同时与其他传统家畜养殖业务进行类比。如果昆虫作为饲料和食物的产业要可行，兽医的参与对于确保昆虫能作为所有人的安全食物来源至关重要。
