In a near future there is a need to guaranty food security for approximately more than one billion people worldwide. Beyond the population increase other factors contribute to food and feed insecurity such as climate changes, rising costs of animal protein and consumer demands for protein. Edible insects are pointed out as one alternative as they have always been a part of human diets. The concern to guaranty food security cannot be dissociated from food safety and under the Codex Alimentarius principles of food hygiene, insects would be comparable to other types of foods of animal origin. The processing and storage of insects and their products should follow the same health and sanitation regulations as for any other food or feed in order to ensure their microbiological and chemical safety. Allergies induced through insects’ ingestion should also be considered. This review aims to identify potential hazards related to edible insects’ production and transformation. Preventive measures to their control will be presented considering pre-requirements in their production and transformation. An HACCP plan will be described as a study case in insects’ transformation, being discussed all constraints regarding implementation.
Part of the book: Future Foods