Exploring the bioactive potential of edible insects for a sustainable future

Edible insects have emerged as promising sources of bioactive materials with potential applications across various sectors, including the food, feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. This review evaluates the potential of edible insects as eco-friendly and nutritionally superior materials by analyzing their key nutritional components. Focusing on drying methods, this study examines the advantages and disadvantages of different processing techniques to enhance usability and leverage their potential value. By reviewing previous studies on edible insects and their derivatives, this paper highlights factors influencing their bioactivities, such as their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. Additionally, it identifies insects with superior efficacy for each bioactivity and proposes strategies to enhance consumer acceptance through optimized efficacy and product development. To facilitate the large-scale commercialization of edible insects, it is necessary to create the conditions required for industrial development, including the standardization of processing technologies, the establishment of appropriate legal systems, and efforts to improve public perception. By consolidating recent research findings, this review aims to provide a foundational understanding of the potential of edible insects as sustainable and bioactive materials, paving the way for their application in future research and development.