** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE WORLD'S POPULATION IS SET TO REACH 9.8 BILLION BY 2050, INCREASING THE DEMAND FOR FOOD, PARTICULARLY ANIMAL PROTEINS. A STRIKING 80% OF GLOBAL FARMLAND IS DEDICATED TO LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, DESPITE ANIMALS CONTRIBUTING ONLY 18% TO GLOBAL CALORIE INTAKE. TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, HUNGER, AND MALNUTRITION, CULTIVATING INSECTS FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL CONSUMPTION IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION. INSECTS ARE NUTRIENT-RICH, WITH 41-66% PROTEIN AND 15-50% FAT CONTENT. CULTURAL RESISTANCE IN THE USA AND EUROPE IMPEDES THE ACCEPTANCE OF INSECT PROTEINS AS FOOD SOURCES.TO OVERCOME CULTURAL BARRIERS, A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH INITIATIVE SEEKS TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTION METHODS FOR OBTAINING PROTEIN, LIPIDS, AND VALUABLE COMPONENTS FROM INSECT MEAL, ENABLING THE CREATION OF INNOVATIVE FOOD PRODUCTS USING 3-D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY. ADVANCED TOOLS LIKE NIR SENSORS AND AI ALGORITHMS WILL MEASURE PROTEIN, FAT, CHITIN LEVELS, AND NUTRIENT QUALITY, INCLUDING ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS AND FATTY ACIDS. CONCURRENTLY, CONSUMER SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS WILL ASSESS PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND WILLINGNESS TO PURCHASE INSECT-BASED PRODUCTS.LED BY THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY IN COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI IN SPAIN AND INSECT FARMING COMPANIES FROM THE USA AND EUROPE, THIS EFFORT ALIGNS WITH THE USDA NIFA A1364 NOVEL FOODS AND INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM, AIMING TO ADVANCE FOOD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT, AND HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLY. THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR INNOVATIVE INSECT-BASED FOOD INGREDIENTS AND PRODUCTS WHILE NURTURING THE EMERGING WORKFORCE FOR THIS INDUSTRY, PROMISING A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND NUTRITIOUS FUTURE FOR THE GROWING GLOBAL POPULATION.