Grasshoppers and locusts as human foods – a comprehensive review

Nutritious and sustainable food sources are much needed to compensate for the rising demand for food due to the ever-growing human population. The idea of using insects as potential future foods is getting more attention globally. The consumption of insects or entomophagy offers several advantages other than fulfilling human nutritional and energy requirements. By considering climate change and the reduction in arable land and water, entomophagy and insect farming is regarded to be more environmentally friendly than animal husbandry. Among thousands of edible insect species, grasshoppers and locusts may become viable options as novel foods. In this review, all edible grasshopper and locust species are listed along with the countries where they are consumed. The nutritional value and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties of some commonly consumed grasshoppers and locusts are overviewed. Lastly, factors affecting the consumer acceptance of grasshoppers and locusts as emerging foods are discussed, and steps to incorporate the insects into consumers’ tables are given. Based on this review, there are at least 120 species of edible grasshopper and locust species. They are packed with nutrients and antioxidant substances, and are widely consumed across African and Asian countries and in certain parts of America. However, the rejection of grasshoppers and locusts as foods is still prevalent among consumers in western countries due to the stigma surrounding insects. Raising the consumers’ awareness through the dissemination of the health and environmental benefits of entomophagy could be a strategic way to increase the adoption of grasshoppers and locusts as foods.