WORLDWIDE ENTOMOPHAGY
People have been eating insects for thousands of years. Even before homosapiens evolved, one of our closest relatives, austrolapitheses has been proven to have an insect containing diet (Lesnik 2014). Throughout the world there are thought to be 2040 edible species of insects (Jongema 2014) and today, insects are an important part of the diet for many religions and cultures. |
AUSTRALIA
Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Australian Aborigines were largely hunter gatherers in unpredictable environments. From honey ants, sugar bags and lerps they would gain carbohydrates and from grubs and bogong moths they would gain carbohydrates (Yen 2010). Possibly the most famous insects of the native aboriginal diet is the witchetty grub. This is a grub of the wood moth (genus Endoxyla) that can grow up to 15cm long (Queensland Museum 2011). The grub is extremely nutritious with a 38% protein content and a 40% fat content which is similar to that of olive oil (O’Dea 1991). Entomophagy in aboriginal culture slowly declined with the arrival of the Europeans. However, nowadays it is again becoming more popular due to tourism. |
OTHER CULTURES
Many other cultures in Asia, Central Africa and Central America consume insects on a regular basis. Insects are more commonly eaten in the tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world (FAO 2013). This is thought to be due to a number of different factors. Firstly, the larger insects are generally distributed in areas of lower latitude (Loder 1997). The higher temperatures allow for faster diffusion through the tracheal tubes, therefore compensating for the increase in size of the insect. Secondly, insects can be found year round rather than seasonally due to the minimal temperature fluctuations (FAO 2013). The most commonly eaten insect orders are Coloptera (beetles), followed by Lepidoptera (caterpillars), Hymenoptera (wasps, bees and ants) and Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locusts and crickets) (Jongema 2012, FAO 2013). In Southern and Central Africa, mopanie caterpillars are so popular that when they were in season the sale of beef was affected (Quin 1959). The caterpillars are even the livelihoods of some families and there is a whole trade based around the sale of them, with hundreds of tonnes being exported from Botswana and South Africa to Zambia and Zimbabwe (DeFoliart 1992).
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WESTERN SOCIETY
Modern western society has developed a negative image against entomophagy. Insects are considered to be scary, unhygienic, disease ridden pests that are only eaten as a last resort, a ‘starvation food’ eaten by primitive or barbaric man (DeFoliart 1999). Therefore in Western culture there virtually no insects are eaten although there are a few rare examples such as Casu Marzu which is a Sardinian specially cheese containing insect larvae. Although people eating insects as a general practise is rare, many people ingest insects on a day to day basis. For example, according to the FDA levels handbook, there are up to thirty insect parts per an average chocolate bar, and up to five larvae per and eighteen ounce can of peas. Attitudes towards eating insects are also changing. A Belgian study conducted by Megido et al. asked 189 people a questionnaire on their attitudes towards eating insects. It was found that eating insects was widely accepted by most of the participants of the study. Many top end restaurants have now put insects on their menu, and top end chefs are beginning to promote entomophagy as a weird and wonderful novelty item.
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References
DeFoliart G.R. 1992. Insects as human food: The editor discusses some nutritional and economic aspects. Crop Protect. 11, 395-399
DeFoliart, G.R. 1999. Insects as food: why the Western attitude is important. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 44,21-50
Lesnik JJ. 2014. Termites in the hominin diet: A meta-analysis of termite genera, species and castes as a dietary supplement for South African robust australopithecines. Journal of human evolution. 74, 94-104
Loder N. 1997. Insect Body Species- Body Size distributions. Thesis PhD University of Sheffield.
MacEvilly C. 2000. Bugs in the system. Nutrition Bulletin. 25, 267-268.
Megido RC, Sablon L, Geuens M, et al. Edible insects Acceptance by Belgian Consumers: Promising Attitude for Entomophagy Development.Journal of sensory studies.29,14-20
O’Dea K. 1991. Traditional diet and food preferences of Australian aboriginal hunter-gatheres. Philosophical transactions: Biological sciences. 334, 233-241.
Queensland Museum. 2011. Giant moth and witchetty grubs fact sheet. [Accessed on 20 Aug 2014] available at URL http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Learning+Resources/~/media/Documents/Learning%20resources/QM/Resources/Fact%20Sheets/fact-sheet-giant-wood-moths.pdf
Quin P.J. 1959. Foods and feeding habits of the Pedi. Witwatersrand University, Johenssburg, Republic of Southern Africa p278
Yen AL. 2010. Edible insects and other invertebrates in Australia: future prospects. Forest insects as food: humans bite back. Proceedings of a workshop on Asia-Pacific resources and their potential for development, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 19-21 February, 2008. 65-84
DeFoliart, G.R. 1999. Insects as food: why the Western attitude is important. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 44,21-50
Lesnik JJ. 2014. Termites in the hominin diet: A meta-analysis of termite genera, species and castes as a dietary supplement for South African robust australopithecines. Journal of human evolution. 74, 94-104
Loder N. 1997. Insect Body Species- Body Size distributions. Thesis PhD University of Sheffield.
MacEvilly C. 2000. Bugs in the system. Nutrition Bulletin. 25, 267-268.
Megido RC, Sablon L, Geuens M, et al. Edible insects Acceptance by Belgian Consumers: Promising Attitude for Entomophagy Development.Journal of sensory studies.29,14-20
O’Dea K. 1991. Traditional diet and food preferences of Australian aboriginal hunter-gatheres. Philosophical transactions: Biological sciences. 334, 233-241.
Queensland Museum. 2011. Giant moth and witchetty grubs fact sheet. [Accessed on 20 Aug 2014] available at URL http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Learning+Resources/~/media/Documents/Learning%20resources/QM/Resources/Fact%20Sheets/fact-sheet-giant-wood-moths.pdf
Quin P.J. 1959. Foods and feeding habits of the Pedi. Witwatersrand University, Johenssburg, Republic of Southern Africa p278
Yen AL. 2010. Edible insects and other invertebrates in Australia: future prospects. Forest insects as food: humans bite back. Proceedings of a workshop on Asia-Pacific resources and their potential for development, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 19-21 February, 2008. 65-84
Katie Cook, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia