Strategies for tackling food allergy risks associated with insect consumption

Abstract Insects have been widely promoted as a more sustainable source of human food than traditional livestock agriculture. Before insect-based foods can be marketed at scale, however, it is essential that the risks associated with their consumption are understood and managed appropriately. Allergies are one such risk, but at present little is known about the frequency of dietary insect-based allergies in the general population, or the nature of insect allergens that may trigger such responses. Here, we highlight several approaches that may help to identify and mitigate the risk of such allergies in consumers prior to widespread marketing of insect-based foods. Combining bioinformatic, laboratory, and clinical approaches to assessing allergenicity offers the potential to accurately predict the risk to consumers of novel species and thereby help support the market entry of new foods with sustainability or health benefits.