Forest biomass waste as a potential innovative source for rearing edible insects for food and feed - A review

•The human population on Earth is predicted to grow exponentially and an increasing demand for animal-based food is expected.•Traditionally, most insect species used for food purposes have been harvested in the wild from natural forests.•Forest organic wastes comprise huge lignocellulose and nutrient stocks for edible insects.•Forest wood-feeding insects are mainly herbivores, but display wide variation in their utilisation of food substrates.•Insect species are already harvested in wild for food and feed purposes, mainly in Africa and Asia.

Worldwide, huge quantities of organic wastes are generated annually in the forest industry, but most of these wastes are discarded. Only a minor proportion is used, mainly for biofuel and secondarily for compost production. Simultaneously, demand for more and new food products is increasing due to rapid growth in the global population. In recent years, use of edible insects has been proposed as one promising solution to an upcoming food supply crisis. The rearing of insects for human food and livestock feed has some significant advantages, like high protein content, effective feed conversion rate, low greenhouse gas emissions and low water requirements. The aim of this review was to compile up-to-date information on rearing edible insects for food and feed and to investigate the potential use of forest biomass waste as a new substrate for insect rearing.