Edible Insect and Their Future in India

Furkhan Khan Younus Khan*¹, Avinash D. Hatkar¹, Phoke Sandip V.¹, Vyas Gitesh V.¹, Dr. Sunil S. S.¹, Dr. Khurshid Iqbal Molvi²

1. Institute of Pharmacy, Badnapur, Jalna – 431202

2. Ismail Mehta College of Pharmacy, Ambad, Jalna - 431204

*Correspondence: furkhankhan40@gmail.com; Tel.: +91 7709395909

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2026.5103   

INTRODUCTION

Ensuring food and nutritional security is becoming more and more important as the world's population is predicted to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, especially in a nation like India with a growing population of over 1.4 billion (United Nations, 2022). Even though they are essential, traditional livestock and agricultural systems put increasing strain on resources like feed, water, and land while also making a substantial contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, it is not only appropriate but also essential to investigate sustainable, alternative protein sources. The use of insects as food and feed, or entomophagy, which has been a feature of human diets in many civilizations for ages, is one such promising frontier. Insects have been eaten in some parts of India, especially the Northeast, where there are a variety of culinary customs, but they are still mainly unexplored as a common source of nourishment.

Given their high nutritional value—rich in protein (often 50–80% dry weight), important fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals—insects present an appealing solution to India's expanding protein demand (Rao et al., 2015). Compared to conventional livestock, they also offer a more environmentally friendly choice because they require less water and land and can be raised on organic waste, supporting the ideas of the circular economy. For example, species such as the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) efficiently convert organic waste into high-quality protein, which makes them perfect for animal feed, especially in aquaculture and poultry. Concurrently, edible insects such as beetles (Coleoptera) and grasshoppers (Orthoptera) are becoming more popular worldwide for human consumption, providing chances for nutritional diversification.

In India, the use of insects as food and feed is still relatively new, despite these benefits. The lack of strong regulatory frameworks, low consumer awareness, and cultural attitudes that frequently see entomophagy as unusual are some of the main obstacles. However, there is a special chance to incorporate insects into the national food and feed narrative given the growing interest in sustainable food systems and the government's push for programs like Eat Right India and the promotion of alternative proteins.

By analyzing their nutritional potential, environmental advantages, current practices, and obstacles to broader acceptability, this analysis seeks to summarize the current situation of insects as food and feed in India. In order to establish India as a possible leader in sustainable insect-based inventions, we also examine the future, highlighting research gaps, policy requirements, and methods to improve consumer acceptance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

·            Study Design

A comprehensive narrative study was conducted to evaluate the current situation, possibilities, challenges, and prospects for edible insects as food and feed in India. The method was developed in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to ensure transparency and repeatability.

·            Search Strategy

A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out between January 2000 and December 2024 in order to locate relevant peer-reviewed and grey material. The search method included both controlled vocabulary and free-text terms related to edible insects and India.

·            Key search terms included

“Edible insects”

“Entomophagy”

“Insects as food”

“Insects as feed”

“Sustainable protein”

“Alternative protein sources”

“Insect farming”

“India” OR “Indian context”

·            Boolean operators were applied (AND/OR) to refine the search, for example:

“Edible insects” AND “India”

“Entomophagy” AND “sustainability” AND “India”

·            Quality Assessment

Clarity of objectives, methodological rigor, relevance to the Indian context, and consistency of findings were used to evaluate the quality of the included research. The final synthesis only included research that had a sufficient level of scientific validity.

RESULT

·            Study Selection (PRISMA Flow)

Database searches (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect) yielded a total of 312 documents; manual searches of FAO and UN papers yielded an additional 28 entries. 244 articles were left for title and abstract screening after 96 duplicate records were eliminated.

171 of these papers were eliminated because they focused on non-food insect species, had no Indian context, or were irrelevant to edible insects. 73 articles' entire texts were evaluated for eligibility. 42 papers were included in the final qualitative synthesis following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria.

·            Reasons for exclusion at full-text stage included:

•           Insufficient data on edible insects (n = 14)

•           Studies focused only on pest management (n = 9)

•           Opinion articles without scientific evidence (n = 8)

·            Characteristics of Included Studies

The 42 included studies were released between 2005 and 2024. According to regional entomophagy habits, the majority of studies came from Northeast India, followed by Central and Southern India. Experimental nutritional studies, ethnographic surveys, sustainability evaluations, and policy reviews were among the study designs.

Table 1. General Characteristics of Included Studies

·            Thematic Synthesis of Findings

The findings were synthesized into five major thematic areas:

1.      Diversity of Edible Insects in India

Studies reported over 250 edible insect species consumed traditionally across India. The most commonly consumed insect orders were:

•           Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets)

•           Coleoptera (beetles)

•           Lepidoptera (silkworm pupae)

•           Hymenoptera (ants, bees)

Consumption was highest among tribal communities in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Odisha, where insects are part of traditional diets.

Table 2. Common Edible Insects in India

2.      Nutritional Composition of Edible Insects

Studies have shown that edible insects have a high nutritional value and are frequently better than traditional protein sources. The range of the protein content (dry weight) was 40–80%. Essential amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and B-complex vitamins were also abundant in insects.

Silkworm pupae and grasshoppers were frequently highlighted for their high-quality protein and micronutrient density.

Table 3. Nutritional Profile of Selected Edible Insects

3.      Environmental and Sustainability Benefits

Most studies emphasized the environmental advantages of insect farming compared to traditional livestock. Insects require:

·         Significantly less land and water

·         Lower greenhouse gas emissions

·         Ability to convert organic waste into protein

The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) emerged as a promising species for waste management and animal feed production in India.

4.      Insects as Animal Feed in India

Insect meal has been successfully used in poultry and aquaculture feeds in place of fishmeal and soybean meal, according to several research. Fish and poultry fed black soldier fly larval meal demonstrated similar feed conversion ratios and growth performance.

This demonstrates the significant potential of insects in India's aquaculture and cattle industries, lowering reliance on imported feed components.

5.      Challenges and Future Prospects in India

Despite promising results, the studies consistently identified key barriers:

·         Lack of regulatory frameworks for insect-based food

·         Limited consumer awareness and acceptance

·         Absence of standardized safety and quality guidelines

However, future prospects are encouraging due to:

·         Rising protein demand

·         Government focus on sustainability

·         Growth of alternative protein startups

·         Alignment with circular economy and waste-to-value models

DISCUSSION

Summary of Main Findings

In India, especially in tribal and northeastern areas, edible insects are a nutrient-dense, ecologically viable, and culturally significant food source. The included research consistently showed that insects with high protein content (40–80% dry weight) and necessary fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins include grasshoppers, silkworm pupae, beetles, and ants. These results are consistent with previous worldwide evaluations conducted by the FAO and other international research, which acknowledge insects as effective substitute protein sources that can handle upcoming food security issues.

Insect farming produces lower greenhouse gas emissions, uses organic waste streams efficiently, and consumes substantially fewer resources than typical livestock systems, according to environmental assessments across research. Insect-based systems support the concepts of the circular economy, according to similar findings documented in international literature. In the Indian context, species like black soldier fly larvae have demonstrated potential for use as animal feed, especially in the aquaculture and poultry industries, which would lessen dependency on imported fishmeal and soybeans.

Overall, the synthesis points to India as a potential leader in sustainable protein innovation since it possesses both biological variety and traditional expertise to assist the development of insect-based food and feed systems.

Comparison with Existing Literature

The review's conclusions are in line with international research that claims insects are either as nutritious as or better than traditional animal protein sources. However, Indian studies stress traditional and cultural acceptance in particular locations, in contrast to Western countries where sustainability themes are the primary driver of insect eating. India's consumption pattern is different from that of Europe and North America, where entomophagy is still mostly experimental.

Indian study on edible insects is still small and dispersed when compared to literature from Africa and Southeast Asia. India is still in the early stages of research translation and market integration, whereas other regions have made progress toward commercialization and policy development. This disparity highlights the need for statistics on food safety, customer acceptability, and the viability of large-scale farming in India.

Limitations of the Review and Current Knowledge

This review has a number of shortcomings even though it offers a thorough synthesis. First, there are still few peer-reviewed studies that are solely focused on India, and the most of them are found in the northeastern states. This limits extrapolation to the larger Indian populace.

Second, quantitative meta-analysis was not possible due to substantial variation in study design, bug species, and analytical techniques. Direct comparisons were difficult because many research lacked standardized nutritional analysis techniques. Furthermore, there is a dearth of long-term safety information about chemical pollutants, microbiological hazards, and allergenicity in edible insects.

Formal research and commercial development are further hampered by India's unclear regulations. The lack of authorized food safety regulations for insects restricts industrial involvement and widespread implementation.

Gaps, Controversies, and Challenges

A number of disagreements and research gaps were found. The paucity of consumer perception studies conducted outside of societies that have historically consumed insects is one significant gap. Food neophobia and cultural resistance continue to be major obstacles, especially for metropolitan people.

The ethical and safety concerns of eating insects, such as allergic cross-reactivity with shellfish and the use of waste substrates for insect rearing, are also controversial. Additionally, the economic viability of insect farming under Indian agroclimatic conditions is not well documented.

In contrast to areas like the European Union, where edible insects are controlled as novel foods, there is a significant lack of defined legislative and legal frameworks. In India, this regulatory ambiguity continues to be a significant obstacle.

Future Research Directions

Large-scale nutritional, toxicological, and safety analyses of frequently consumed bug species in India should be the main focus of future research. To guarantee food safety and uniformity in quality, standardized agricultural, processing, and storage procedures must be created.

To comprehend consumer acceptance and market feasibility, interdisciplinary research combining food science, nutrition, sociology, and economics are crucial. The normalization of entomophagy may be aided by public awareness efforts and the inclusion of insect-based products in food innovation initiatives.

To promote the creation of national standards and regulations for edible insects, policy-oriented research is also essential. Promoting industry-academia partnerships and pilot-scale insect farming initiatives could hasten commercialization and integration into India's food and feed systems.

CONCLUSION

A viable, sustainable, and nutrient-dense solution to India's expanding problems with food and protein security is edible insects. This analysis shows that India has a large variety of edible insect species, which are sustained by long-standing customs of consumption in a number of areas, especially the Northeast. Edible insects are a good substitute for traditional animal protein sources in both human meals and animal feed due to their high protein content, advantageous fatty acid profile, and availability of vital micronutrients.

Insect farming has many benefits from a sustainability standpoint, such as decreased greenhouse gas emissions, less space and water needed, and effective conversion of organic waste into useful biomass. The potential of insects like black soldier fly larvae to help India's aquaculture and poultry sectors while lowering reliance on foreign feed resources is further demonstrated by their use in animal feed.

Despite these advantages, regulatory limitations, low consumer knowledge, and cultural barriers outside of traditional groups prevent widespread implementation in India. Coordinated efforts in public engagement, policy creation, and research will be necessary to address these issues. Important advancements include the establishment of precise food safety laws, the encouragement of scientific validation of safety and nutritional elements, and the promotion of innovation in insect-based goods.

All things considered, if research and policy activities advance concurrently, including edible insects into India's food and feed systems could greatly contribute to a resilient, climate-friendly, and sustainable future.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The author(s) declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this review article.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All author(s) contributed equally to the conceptualization, literature search, data analysis, manuscript drafting, and final approval of the manuscript.

ETHICAL APPROVAL

            Not applicable, as this study is based on the review of previously published literature and does not involve human participants or experimental animals.

DATA AVAILABILITY

            All data analyzed in this review are included in the published articles referenced in this manuscript.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author(s) would like to acknowledge the researchers and institutions whose work contributed to the development of this review.

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