Traditional consumption of and rearing edible insects in Africa, Asia and Europe

Abstract

The traditional consumption of edible insects is common in one third of the world's population, mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. There are over one thousand identified species of insects eaten in some stage of their life cycle; and they play important roles in ensuring food security. The most common way to collect insects are from the wild, which is seasonal with limited availability and has an increasing demand resulting in a disruption to the ecosystem. There is a growing interest shown in rearing insects for commercial purposes, and an industrial scale production will be required to ensure steady supplies. Industrial production will need to take into account the living environment of insects, the nutritional composition of their feed and the overall efficiency of the production system. We provide a short overview on the consumption of and rearing insects in Africa, Asia and Europe. For Africa, a snapshot is given for Nigeria, Ghana, Central African Republic, Kenya and Uganda, while the following countries are reported for Asia: China, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, a list of insect species with the highest potential for food and feed in the European Union is provided with some reference to The Netherlands and Finland. The review concludes that there is need to better understand the rearing and farming procedures that will yield high quality edible insects in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Nutrient composition of the Indonesian sago grub (Rhynchophorus bilineatus)

“…The variability in the protein and fat content or the proximate composition of the larvae, in general, could be directly attributed to the difference in measurement methods, and in the diet of the insects. Indirectly, it could also be due to the difference in body size, age during harvest, and the living environment at the geographical origin or source of the edible insects under study (Raheem et al 2019;van Huis and Oonincx 2017). Information on the effect of these factors on the nutrient profile of edible insects is vital, as any one of them could be the deciding factor in the effective domestication and industrial production of these insects (Raheem et al 2019).…”

“…Indirectly, it could also be due to the difference in body size, age during harvest, and the living environment at the geographical origin or source of the edible insects under study (Raheem et al 2019;van Huis and Oonincx 2017). Information on the effect of these factors on the nutrient profile of edible insects is vital, as any one of them could be the deciding factor in the effective domestication and industrial production of these insects (Raheem et al 2019). It is predicted that the world population will grow over nine billion by 2050, and one of the biggest challenges is to increase the global food supply by at least 1.30% per year (Fischer et al 2014;Godfray 2015;Grafton et al 2015).…”

Edible Insects Processing: Traditional and Innovative Technologies

“…Thailand is an example of a country with an important tradition of insect consumption that is becoming more westernized (Yen, 2015). Close to 200 species of insects are consumed in Thailand and are prepared in several innovative ways apart from the most common (roasting, frying, and steaming), such as curried, dipped (mixed with chili paste), and salted (Halloran, Vantomme, Hanboonsong, & Ekesi, 2015;Raheem et al, 2018). However, consumption is regional.…”

Edible Insects in Africa in Terms of Food, Wildlife Resource, and Pest Management Legislation

“…When wildlife management may be difficult because of legal uncertainties and food safety concerns, farming them may be an option [4]. Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar have started a larger attempt to rear insects and produce them as "mini-livestock" [29].…”

“…Recommendations for elements in future insect-related regulations from the food hygiene point of view are provided.Foods 2020, 9, 502 2 of 43 after the classical antiquity, the tradition lingered on in Africa. There are hundreds of insect species consumed in Africa as foodstuffs or as traditional medicine [1][2][3][4][5][6]. The awareness of the benefits of edible insects has also reached non-traditional sectors of the African population, and web-based information sites like LINCAOCNET (http://gbif.africamuseum.be/lincaocnet_dev/) provide searchable information on local species.Insects are traded in a relatively small to medium level.…”