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Entomophagy is the term used to describe the process of eating insects as a food source. Currently, many universities study this process, including Illinois State University, Purdue University, and the University of Wisconsin, using the term "microlivestock" to categorize the insects that can be eaten. Although eating insects intentionally is not yet a common practice in the United States and Europe, it is popular among the peoples of many other regions of the world including Africa, Asia, Australia, Mexico and South America. These areas have developed specific recipes for certain regional insects and include the eating of insects as part of their daily diet. In general, insects provide a high source of protein and area relatively inexpensive to purchase in many developing countries as compared to meat products. Typically, the insects that are most popular to eat are those that can be gathered quickly and in large amounts. Taste is also a factor in selecting insects, as many can be eaten either raw or cooked, while others are used as ingredients to produce other food items, such as being used as an additive to flour. Because not all insects can be eaten – many are toxic – it is important to know which insects are used for food and how they are being prepared. By region, the following insects are commonly eaten:
Africa. In Africa, popular insects to eat include termites, grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, ants, and locusts. Termites are often eaten raw or fried, or are made into a cooking oil. Grasshoppers, caterpillars, and young beetles are fried and ants are eaten either raw or ground-up into a paste. Locusts are typically boiled and salted prior to eating.
Asia. All over Asia, the giant waterbug, which is gathered by farmers at night near water sources, is roasted whole and eaten as a delicacy. Meanwhile, in Korea, fried locusts are popular as a food source and in the Philippines, many insects including ants, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, locusts, and larvae from the dragonfly are fried or boiled prior to eating. In Papua New Guinea, chefs typically prepare insect grubs either roasted or boiled to serve as a main meal.
Australia. Home to many large colonies of termites, some of which have termites as long as three inches in length, Australians favor these insects and prefer to fry them prior to eating.
Mexico and South America. In Mexico, grasshoppers are a popular food source especially when fried prior to eating. Fried grasshoppers are also canned commercially and sold in supermarkets and local grocery stores. The agave worm is also a popular insect to eat, whether swallowed whole in a preserved state in a bottle of tequila or eaten cooked inside of a tortilla. In Columbia, South America many insects are eaten including ants, termites and palm grubs. Insects are often cooked prior to eating or are used as ingredients in recipes.
In the United States, certain Native American tribes commonly ate insects. Specifically, in the western United States, pupae of the fly known as "Ephvdra hians" was eaten. This food was called "Koo-tsabe". Nowadays, American can purchase insects commercially to eat from insect supply firms, bait shops, and from some pet shops. Typically, ants, crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers are most commonly used for food although certain people enjoy eating insect larvae, especially from moths and yellowjackets. The most popular way to eat insects in the United States, however, is to deep fry pieces of them prior to serving.
While insects are high in protein and relatively low in fat, they are also a "clean" food source because many feed-off of fresh plants. Additionally, they are not scavengers, as is the more commonly eaten shellfish. Insects are also easy to raise, and to harvest, and they are highly nutritious to eat. For example, a termite contains approximately 14 grams of protein and 36mg of iron. In comparison, lean beef contains 27 grams of protein and only 4mg of iron. Additionally, if you are looking to add calcium to your diet, try eating crickets. One cricket contains 13 grams of protein, 10mg of iron, and 76mg of calcium. Overall, insects provide a good source of nutrients and when prepared properly, can be quite tasty as well.
As the popularity of eating insects grows, many chic restaurants have opened that cater specifically to those who enjoy eating insects. Restaurants in Singapore serve larvae and scorpions and seat sell-out crowds nightly. Additionally, using insects in recipes has risen as consumers begin to realize the benefits gained by using this alternative protein source. While organizations such as the US Food and Drug Administration continue to monitor and limit the amount of insects allowed on crops, some farmers are looking to cultivate insects as a food source. These farmers are hoping to enlighten the western countries about the advantages of using insects for food. Additionally, they hope to remove the negative stigma associated with eating insects and to show people just how healthy, and good tasting, eating insects can be.
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