Entomophagy: an experimental case for food production and by-products valorisation

In the last few years insect-based food received a great attention by media and politics. The growing interest among consumers about environment and animal welfare, together with concern for the consequences of climate change prompted the demand more and more toward new protein source: ethical, safe, capable to ensure food for a growing population. These factors have brought to the fore some novel food, that aim to counteract some of the listed issues, with innovative products. The attention of this work is focused on insects, one of the most controversial foods actually in the market. However, it should be noted that along the history insects can boast many different gastronomic traditions, that will be analysed, proposing not only as a novel food, but as a rooted tradition in some cultures and some places. Among these we will focus on Tenebrio molitor, or yellow mealworm, a coleoptera belonging to the family of Tenebrionid. Will be evaluated the possibility of raising it on some by-products and waste diet, coming from the industrial district of the city of Turin, in order to produce a flour, already approved by the European Union, suitable to be integrated in some food production to fortify the protein content. At the same time the response of consumer and their preferences will be taken into account, to assess the future prospects of these products in the Italian and European market.