Copelotti Emma, Fratini Filippo, Sforza Giulia, Tuccinardi Tiziano, Demontis Gian Carlo, Mancini Simone
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Interdepartmental Research Center Nutrafood "Nutraceuticals and Food for Health", University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Foods. 2025 Apr 22;14(9):1450. doi: 10.3390/foods14091450.
Over the past few years, edible insects have been recognised as potential "new" food sources in Western countries due to their sustainability and adaptability in the food production sector. To determine the distribution in Europe of insect-based food producers within each country, as well as the number and types of products, data from e-commerce were collected and analysed. The FoodEx2 classification was used to categorise the products. Data about the nutritional composition were recorded and the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) was calculated. As a result, 523 products offered by fifty-three companies located in 17 countries of Europe were found. The predominant market was based in Western Europe (55.8%), and 24 insect species were sold. Notably, four species were the most representative: (182 products), followed by (140), (54), and (34). Other species were present in lower quantities. The main commercial categories of insect-based food present in the European e-commerce were snacks, chocolate, and similar products. The results emphasise the potential benefits of incorporating insect-based food into the daily diet in terms of protein, energy, and fat intake. The RDA of the different products highlighted the importance of insects as a nutritional ingredient.
在过去几年里，可食用昆虫因其在食品生产领域的可持续性和适应性，在西方国家被视为潜在的“新型”食物来源。为了确定欧洲各国以昆虫为原料的食品生产商的分布情况，以及产品的数量和种类，收集并分析了来自电子商务的数据。使用FoodEx2分类法对产品进行分类。记录了有关营养成分的数据，并计算了每日推荐摄入量（RDA）。结果发现，欧洲17个国家的53家公司提供了523种产品。主要市场位于西欧（55.8%），出售24种昆虫。值得注意的是，有四种昆虫最具代表性：（182种产品），其次是（140种）、（54种）和（34种）。其他种类的数量较少。欧洲电子商务中以昆虫为原料的食品的主要商业类别是零食、巧克力及类似产品。结果强调了将昆虫食品纳入日常饮食在蛋白质、能量和脂肪摄入方面的潜在益处。不同产品的每日推荐摄入量突出了昆虫作为营养成分的重要性。
