spreading. A lot of this negativity is due to the belief that insects are an
unsafe source of food because they harbor diseases. These beliefs are re-
flected in current legislation, and in many places, insects are deemed to be
food contaminants. However, in terms of suitability as human food, insects
are no different from other animals: some are inedible, some are toxic and
some people are allergic to insects. Otherwise the main safety issue is
proper storage and cooking.
Why should insects be used as food? Insects are an abundant and easily
obtained food source. There are about 2,000 species of insects that are
eaten globally and they are a valuable source of subsistence food that can
be important for nutrition. The nutritional value of some insects is
equivalent to some conventional meats. The resources required to produce
a kilogram of insect protein compared to a kilogram of beef protein are
significantly lower so insect production has a much smaller environmental
footprint. Furthermore, except for termites, insects produce less green-
house gas than conventional stock animals.
Currently a lot of conventional animal foods are provided with wild-har-
vested fish meal as part of their diet, to the detriment of global fish sup-
plies. Insects could play a more important indirect role as food through
their use as feed for animals that people use as food (especially poultry and
aquaculture) or as supplements in the booming pet food industries. If in-
sects can be used as an effective substitute for fish-meal in food, it will help
conserve global fish resources.
One of the major reasons that many people eat insects is that they are
generally free. The intensified interest in insect foods has resulted in
increasing commercialization that has boosted demand and many people
who normally utilize insects for subsistence now collect them to sell.
Increasing demand, in conjunction with other adverse environmental
problems, has put pressures on the wild populations of several species of
edible insects, and insect farming is seen as a way of meeting increased
demands. Food production, distribution and the way it is used in indus-
trialized societies results in a lot of waste. Organic farm wastes, unused
food, and even waste food, can be used as food substrates to produce insect
protein that can be used as food or feed. The consumption of insects need
not involve ingesting whole insects but rather the inclusion of powdered
insects as protein supplements in more traditional foods such as bread or
noodles.
The media hype has led to several facts being overlooked. First, insects
were eaten by most cultures during some time in their histories. In fact,
the use of insects as food still continues in Africa, Asia and in Latin
America, with an estimated two billion people including insects as part of
their normal diet. Secondly, insects are often a food of choice and not
associated with famine (although insect-derived protein could in future
play an important role in famine situations). The use of insects as food is
actually increasing with rising living standards in these countries, and
some insects can be more expensive than the meat of conventional food
animals.
Insects were an important food item for many groups of Australian Ab-
origines. They provided nutrients in a harsh environment and many were
important in their cultural life (2). More effort is required in identifying the
insect foods of Australian Aborigines and their nutritional and health
benefits.
Insects should be viewed as another type of food that has enormous po-
tential as an additional food source to help alleviate hunger, and the po-
tential to be a gourmet food item in their own right. There are several key
questions to be answered about insects as food. Can they provide some
nutritional or health benefits that cannot be obtained from other food
sources, or are they a better supplier of these? Can they provide the same
nutritional elements as conventional meat animals or plants? Can we
collect or harvest insects in numbers that will meet future demand? Can
we convince people to accept insects as food?
Funding source(s): N/A.