The effects of regulation, legislation and policy on consumption of edible insects in the global south

Abstract

With an expanding edible insect industry, regulators, legislators, and policy-makers face increasingly difficult decisions regarding trade, production, harvesting, and consumption. It is becoming clearer that no panacea or one-size-fits-all solutions exist for regulating the industry, and that solutions regarding a formal or informal economy must be tailored to each country and culture. If the edible insect industry is to expand, and if insects are to be a sustainable protein source in the future, it is crucial that the effects of current legal measures are mapped out. This will lay the foundation for creating future solutions, taking food safety, environmental sustainability, and consumer acceptance into consideration. Exploring how informal solutions, or a lack of legal measures, can end up advancing an industry or economy will also be an important tool in making the insect industry successful and sustainable. Lastly, it is imperative to understand that the consequences of both sensationalizing and alienating the consumption of edible insects, especially in a legal context, might impact not just the citizens of the Global North, but also the attitudes, and hence consumption behaviors, of those in the Global South.