Edible Insects and Other Chitin-Bearing Foods in Ethnic Peru: Accessibility, Nutritional Acceptance, and Food-Security Implications

Abstract

This study concerns the ecological and economic features of a particular category of complementary foods in ethnic Peru—comprising of insects, crustaceans, snails, and mushrooms— grouped as chitin-bearing foods (CBFs). Data collection was through participatory methods and semistructured interviews with 242 individuals in eight communities/villages from four ethnic populations. We found that, in Peruvian Amazonian Amerindian communities, CBFs are the most relevant protein source during the rainy season. Shrimp (Macrobrachium sp.), crab (Hypolobocera peruviana), palmweevil (Rhynchophorus palmarum), leaf-cutter ants (Atta cephalotes), and Lepidoptera larvae are common in the Amazonian diet. In Awajún and Ashaninka communities, most interviewed subjects declared significant consumption of CBFs, while a low percentage ate vertebrates every week during the rainy season and even in the dry season. In contrast, highland Quechua people occasionally consume larvae of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera and Quechua-Lamas populations (in the Amazonian region from historical times) consume the most accessible CBFs on a weekly basis. Traditional technologies and methods of semi-cultivation are evidence of a growing economic interest for CBFs. Relevant species have a high nutritional value in terms of chitin, fatty acids, and proteins, as well a high acceptance by the indigenous population. We conclude that Amazonian Amerindians manage these foods not only as a remedy for food shortage during the rainy season, but also as a stable forest resource and year-round agricultural by-product. We conclude that these traditional food practices should be incorporated within local and national agri-food policies to develop their economic potential and bring their social benefits into rural and peri-urban areas of Peru.

Los insectos comestibles del Perú: Biodiversidad y perspectivas de la entomofagia en el contexto peruano

“…A pesar de la diversificación de los ámbitos de estudio, el enfoque etnológico continúa proveyendo del marco conceptual sobre el cual la mayoría de los estudios locales de entomofagia en el Perú se apoyan y justifican (e.g. Perichon, 2013;Romero & Catacora, 2017;Casas Reátegui et al, 2018;Manno et al, 2018). La documentación taxonómica de las especies comestibles también se torna más rigurosa a partir del siglo XXI, al denotarse mayores esfuerzos por parte de los autores en brindar identificaciones taxonómicas más precisas de las especies citadas, algo que sin duda ayuda a incrementar el valor científico de dichas contribuciones.…”

“…La región Andina no es ajena al consumo de escarabajos. Manno et al (2018) documentaron el consumo de larvas de Premnotrypes spp., que incluye varias especies conocidas colectivamente como "gorgojo de la papa", una plaga de suma importancia en los agroecosistemas andinos. Dentro de las especies andinas cabe también destacar a Austrelmis condimentarius (Philippi), un escarabajo acuático en la familia Elmidae.…”

Rhynchophorus palmarum used in Traditional Medicine in the Peruvian Amazon

“…-making it the most widely used medicinal insect in the Amazon Rainforest (Cartay 2018;Casas et al 2018;Cerda et al 2001;Delgado et al 2007Delgado et al , 2008Dufour 1987;Manno et al 2018;Onore 2005;Paoletti et al 2000;Santos 2011;Vera and Brand 2012). Unfortunately, only a limited number of scientific studies document the Amazonian larva of the R. palmarum's modes of use and healing properties.…”

“…Seven fatty acids, including linoleic and linolenic acids, have been found in suri (Dué et al 2009;Vargas et al 2013; Table 1). Moreover, 19 amino acids and nine essential amino acids, including lysine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, threonine, and phenylalanine have been identified in the larva (Cerda et al 2001;Manno et al 2018;Vargas et al 2013). Additionally, R. palmarum contains vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A in the form of retinol and vitamin E. Retinol and vitamin E levels can reach up to 85 micrograms and 44 micrograms per 100 grams of dry weight respectively.…”

The nutritional importance of invertebrates to female Cebus capucinus imitator in a highly seasonal tropical dry forest

“…Furthermore, embedded insects may play a role in driving the evolution of sensorimotor intelligence in capuchins (Melin, Young, et al, ). Many invertebrates, such as the larval stages of lepidopteran species, are rich in specific fatty acids and proteins that are necessary for the development of neural pathways, and remain integral to the diet of many human societies (Manno et al, ). To further explore the suggested nutritional importance of insectivory to primate diets, neural development and cognitive skills, here we provide a more complete picture of when and why white‐faced capuchins consume particular types of invertebrates.…”