The utilization of insects as a sustainable and secure source of animal-based food for the human diet has continued to increase in popularity in recent years. Throughout the world, a large portion of the human population consumes insects as a regular part of their diet, and thousands of edible species have been identified. However, in regions of the world where Western cultures dominate, mass media have negatively influenced the public's perception of insects by creating or reinforcing fears and phobias. Nonetheless, the potentially substantial benefits of farming and utilizing insects as a supplemental dietary component, or to replace foods and food ingredients made from vertebrate livestock, are gaining increased attention in Western-dominated cultures.