Insects provide food at low environmental cost, contribute positively to livelihoods, and play a fundamental role in nature. This publication marks the first attempt by FAO to document all aspects of the insect food and feed value chain, with the aim of enabling a comprehensive assessment of the contribution of insects to food and feed security. It includes original research from around the world, such as that carried out at Wageningen University. It also incorporates findings from the International Expert Consultation on Assessing the Potential of Insects as Food and Feed in Assuring Food Security, which took place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, on 23-25 January 2012. The participants at this meeting provided the authors with a wealth of supplementary data and valuable insights.