Potential of Insects as Nutritional Food in Spaceflight

This Topical Team will examine current scientific evidence on the potential for rearing insects in space for consumption by astronauts and settlers, and evaluate:

• insect species with the right nutrient profile and food safety parameters
• impacts of space-specific environmental factors (e.g., radiation, μG) on insect physiology, rearing and nutrient profiles, and
• objective indicators to assess insect-based foods’ suitability for consumption or undesired changes that affect palatability and safety (based on interactions between the above)