**7.4 Microbial hazards**

One of the most serious challenges is the microbial hazards that are associated with edible insects. It has been found that total account of mesophilic aerobes is very high approx. to 7–8 Log10 CFU per gram in some edible insects parallel to that present in vegetables and fresh herbs [22]. Moreover, another serious hygienic concern is Enterobacteriaceae and found at the level of 106–1012 CFU/g [79], which is extremely high. To decrease the level, scientists suggest that prior to eating insect have been fasted for a day or it also greatly depend on food processing and rearing conditions [76]. Furthermore, edible insects might also possess a wide range of pathogens and spoilage bacteria that can be reduced by the processing step.
