Extraction and application of lipids from edible insects

Research on new food sources is a worldwide challenge due to the constant increase in the global population. In this scenario, insects and bug based products have been investigated as feasible food alternatives. They are nutritionally healthy and environmentally sustainable. Eating insects (entomophagy) or utilizing their macronutrients in food formulations can efficiently solve the demand for nutritious food. The benefits of insect-based foods are reported in the literature, mainly because they are viable sources of fat (∼38%) and proteins (∼68%). Fats and oils are recognized as essential nutrients in human nutrition, as they provide a concentrated source of energy and act as structural components of cell membranes and signaling pathways. The high levels of fats/oils of edible insects open the perspective in the food industry to be used as ingredients in the enrichment of several products, such as cookies, biscuits, butter, and margarine, among others, thus contributing to consumer acceptance. Insect fat/oil can be obtained using extraction techniques, such as solvent and supercritical CO2 methods. The method depends on the insect species, fat/oil yield, and process costs. Thus, this review aims to provide current information on the consumption, application, and extraction of edible insect oils.