Tropical Entomophagy for Human Nutrition

Tropical regions harbor a vast diversity of edible insect species that have played a crucial role in the traditional diets of numerous cultures across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. Insects provide a rich source of high-quality protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. While global attention has increasingly turned toward edible insects as sustainable alternatives to conventional animal protein, most scientific literature remains focused on a few temperate species. This highlights a substantial knowledge gap concerning tropical edible insect species, despite their vast nutritional, ecological, and cultural potential. This gap is especially critical, given the urgent need to combat malnutrition in the very regions where these species are distributed, positioning them as promising yet underexplored solutions for achieving sustainable food security.

This Research Topic aims to bridge the knowledge gap in the field of tropical entomophagy by highlighting the nutritional and health potential of edible insects native to tropical ecosystems. The goal is to collect cutting-edge research that contributes to our understanding of how these species can be sustainably sourced, processed, and integrated into food systems to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. By addressing this imbalance in the literature, we seek to promote underrepresented species and regions while advancing scientific, industrial, and policy perspectives on insect-based foods. This Research Topic will also support a multidisciplinary approach by encouraging studies that intersect nutrition, food technology, animal welfare, bioethics, sustainability, anthropology, and public health. Contributions that involve in vitro, in vivo, and clinical perspectives, as well as culturally grounded research, are strongly encouraged.

In alignment with the principles of equitable knowledge production and global collaboration, this Research Topic also aims to strengthen South–South scientific dialogue. By connecting researchers, practitioners, and communities across tropical regions, we seek to foster collaborative solutions rooted in shared ecological, cultural, and nutritional realities. Edible insects represent a promising and contextually relevant strategy for addressing food insecurity, malnutrition, and achieving sustainable development goals within the Global South. Through this platform, we hope to amplify underrepresented voices, empower local expertise, and promote cross-regional learning that advances food systems tailored to the needs and strengths of tropical populations.

This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, perspectives, and case studies focusing on tropical edible insects from nutritional, technological, ecological, socio-cultural, and regulatory perspectives. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Insect species diversity and nutritional profiling;

- Processing and formulation of insect-based foods;

- Traditional and modern farming or gathering practices;

- Sustainable production models;

- Food security contributions;

- Consumer perception, acceptance and market trends;

- Integration of edible insects in public health or school feeding programs.

We also strongly encourage submissions that explore animal welfare considerations, bioethical concerns, and the legal frameworks shaping the production, harvesting, and commercialization of tropical edible insects. Contributions from multidisciplinary, community-engaged, or regionally focused approaches in tropical zones are especially welcome.

All manuscripts should address tropical species or tropical geographical contexts. We particularly welcome contributions from underrepresented countries and collaborations between scientists and local communities.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Tropical edible insects, Alternative proteins, Food security, Insect-based foods, Sustainable nutrition, Malnutrition mitigation, Wild insect harvesting, Insects in traditional diets, Insect farming, Global South Development, insect consumption, ethnoentomology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.