Edible insects’ paradox: biotechnological standpoint on balancing the duality of microbial pathogen and bioactive peptides for health benefits

Edible insects (EI) are sustainable food sources, but with paradox that they serve as reservoirs of both microbial pathogens and health-promoting bioactive peptides. This duality presents both a challenge and an opportunity for food security, public health, and functional food innovation. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from EI demonstrate potent activity, thus it could address issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In addition, their structural diversity and low cytotoxicity make them promising candidates for nutraceuticals and peptide-based therapeutics. Moreover, EI farmed under suboptimal conditions can pose unknown risks, undermine consumer safety, and trust when inadequately processed or poorly regulated. This review addresses the paradox that edible insects represent both a potential source of microbial pathogen/parasite and a reservoir of health-promoting AMP. A key consideration is how edible insects can be safely utilized as sources of bioactive peptides while minimizing microbiological hazards. In contrast to the earlier reviews that examine nutritional or antimicrobial properties individually, this article combines microbial risk management with peptide functionality, providing a biotechnological insight into the trade-off between safety and bioactivity. Ultimately, advancing EI in the global food system depends on balancing bioactivity with biosafety, a challenge that invites transdisciplinary collaboration across food science, microbiology, immunology, and policy.