# Emerging Trends in Sustainable Biological Resources and Bioeconomy for Food Production
## 3 Green Bioeconomy Resources
### Insect-Based Resources  
The concept of sustainability is gaining increasing importance on a global scale. Consequently, it is imperative to identify alternative food sources to replace traditional ingredients that are less sustainable. One potential option could be to utilize proteins, lipids, and fibers derived from edible insects as food components, serving as substitutes for existing ones [34]. The practice of consuming insects as a regular dietary component has been documented in numerous regions across the globe for millennia [35]. This phenomenon is referred to as entomophagy. As [PERSON] et al. (2013) [35] demonstrate, the following insects are of interest in this study: beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, cicadas, leaf and planthoppers, scale insects and true bugs, termites, dragonflies, and flies [36]. Insects can provide many benefits for human health as they have a high nutritional value. In this sense, insects are rich in protein, healthy fats, calcium, iron, and zinc [35]. However, the resulting nutritional profile of insects depends on the species, development stage, diet, and processing [36]. There are some advantages associated with the use of insects as novel food. Insect farming is presented as a sustainable alternative to traditional livestock to meet the growing demand for protein products in the market and emerging nutritional needs [37]. Moreover, there is an environmental effect that the consumption of insects can have. In terms of food production, insects lead to lower emissions of greenhouse gases or ammonia than traditional farm animals; they do not require extensive land for their production, insects are more efficient in converting feed to protein as they are cold-blooded animals, and they can be fed with organic waste [35]. Therefore, insects are presented as a very good candidate for the future of sustainable food production [38; 39]. The insects most commonly farmed for food and feed are the yellow mealworm (_Tenebrio molitor_ L.), the house cricket (_Acheta domesticus_ L.), the black soldier fly (_Herneta illucens_ L.), and the common housefly (_Musca domestica_ L.) [40]. Insects are not only used as direct raw materials in the food industry, but they also have the potential to produce a wide range of high-value products. One of the most notable products is honey, which is produced by bees, with an estimated annual production of 1.2 million tons. Another significant product is carmine, a red dye derived from scale insects that is widely used in coloring food, textiles, and pharmaceuticals [35]. On a global level, the most consumed insects, 31%, are beetles (Coleopterara). They are followed by caterpillars (Lepidoptera), at 18%; bees, wasps, and ants (Hymenoptera), at 14%; grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets (Orthoptera), at 13%; and cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers, and scale insects (Hemiptera), at 10%. For the food industry, mealworms, which are the larvae of the mealworm beetle (_Tenebrio molitor_), are one of the favorite applicants [41]. In addition, _Tenebrio molitor_, _Acheta domesticus_, and _Locusta migratoria_ are very versatile insects, as they can be used as complements of edibles such as potatoes, legumes, cereal-based products, pasta-based products, soups, nuts, oilseeds and chickpeas, meat analogues, and beverages [42]. While the use of insects as a food source has been practiced for centuries, insects are seen as a relatively new culinary trend in many Western countries. As a result, one important factor to consider when incorporating insects or their derivatives into food production is the applicable regulatory framework [43]. One potential solution involves extracting proteins and lipids from insects for use as ingredients in food products [34]. Although edible insects are often proposed as a potential alternative food source, it is crucial to recognize the associated allergy risks.