Ants are sweet, bed bugs taste like apples, and some moth larvae have a pungent taste. Insects could be the food of the future and a solution to the ever-growing world population, climate change and the scarcity of arable land, and therefore, of food resources.
Experts and environmentalists are always looking for protein and sustainable alternatives to meet food needs: insects are one of them. Definitely an unconventional food, but considered in all respects novel foods and, for this reason, subject to new research and precautionary checks by the competent Authorities. In many countries they are already widely consumed, especially in Asia, Africa, Oceania and Central America. In Europe, on the other hand, marketing has not been approved even if several steps have been taken in this direction. In reality, we already eat insects unknowingly: in tomato preserves, flour or organic vegetables.
If you look back, however, insects were part of the diet of Europeans. Romans and Greeks ate cicadas and beetle larvae, real delicacies according to what was written by Pliny the Elder. So why was this custom lost? Probably due to agriculture, when insects became a threat to crops.
The edible species are over 1.900, then there are the harmful ones which, like poisonous mushrooms or mice, cannot be eaten. Furthermore, the number of insect species is 10 times higher than that of mammals, thus the problem of insufficient resources would be overcome.
In the West, the idea of eating small insects remains a taboo for many. Even if from the first research done by FAO, by breeding insects organic waste, such as manure and food scraps, could be converted into high quality nutritional protein. This would allow for a 20-30% return and new jobs.
In countries where the Mediterranean diet is a source of pride, rich in products and traditions linked to the territory, is it possible to include insects in our diet? It all depends on how the new product looks, especially at the table. The idea of eating crickets, grasshoppers or larvae is certainly not popular in Italy, even if it is very popular in Sardinia the Casu Marzu, the famous cheese with worms which owes its softness to the colonization of the larvae of the dairy fly.
Insects represent a valid choice both from an environmental and nutritional point of view, as this farming model is sustainable and is based on the principles of the circular economy. Plus, they contain healthy protein and of high quality, comparable to those of meat and fish. They are low in fat and very versatile in their preparations: from savory to sweet.
An option that doesn't seem to be so remote anymore, especially after theEFSA – the European Food Safety Authority – has published the first evaluation on the use of edible insects in the kitchen. This is an opinion on the safety of spa dried flour, Tenebrio molitor larva. They are yellow worms that have been submitted to the Authority by a French company, like hundreds of other new foods (or novel foods) which, according to the authorization procedure launched in 2018, must first obtain approval from the European Commission and by the member states for marketing. According to EFSA, the worms can be eaten both whole and in the form of flour, but it will take another seven months to know if they will reach our tables.
The novelty of using this novel food has aroused great interest from the public and companies, for which the scientific assessments of the Authority are crucial for policy makers who will have to decide whether or not to authorize these "innovative" products and open up new opportunities of business. A market, that of insect-based food products, which is destined to grow in the coming years: it is estimated by 1,5 billions of dollars in the 2026. It's not just about consuming the insect whole, but incorporating it into snacks, bars, pasta, flour and more. "Eye does not see, heart does not hurt". Hiding insects in food could be the idea to overcome the initial prejudice and spread this new culture in Europe as well.
Is eating insects bad for your health?
One major public concern remains the risk of disease related to their consumption. Currently, no major risks are known, given that in the countries where they are consumed, problems other than those that other more common food products could have have never been highlighted. Obviously, when the go-ahead for production and marketing were given, there would be conditions and disciplines to follow to protect the health of consumers.
According to EFSA, however, many food allergies are linked to proteins, and insects, being rich in them, could trigger them allergic reactions to these subjects. In fact, these reactions could be caused by an individual's sensitivity to insect proteins or by the presence of other allergens in insect feed, such as gluten. Then, as for crustaceans, molluscs and dairy products, there would be people allergic to insects.
In which countries are insects eaten?
The custom of eating insects is much more common than we think. Raw, fried, roasted, covered in sauces or minced in preparations. There are different ways of cooking and consuming insects depending on the country. Let's see the most popular ones.
Latin america
In Mexico, insects make up a large chunk of the daily diet. You can find grasshoppers, black ant larvae and aquatic fly larvae. The fried and stuffed grasshoppers in corn tortillas topped with chili and lime, they're a staple of Southern Mexican cuisines. Some say they taste like bacon, others like malt vinegar. The aquatic fly larvaeInstead, they are harvested and left to dry in the sun, then used in spicy cakes, or egg-based dishes or again, served with vegetables such as courgettes. In addition, there are numerous lovers of black ant eggs, a sort of ground caviar, are boiled and added to soups, or fried and served with tortillas. Ants open up a world to gastronomy. In Brazil they are used as a condiment, fried, sautéed or covered in chocolate and served as a dessert. In Colombia and the Amazon they toast them like popcorn.
Asia
In Thai cuisine, the king of insects is the cricket, but you can also find larvae, millipedes, scorpions, butterflies and red ants. THE crickets, for example, they are served raw, cooked or fried. Street vendors fry the crickets in a large wok and season them with Thai pepper powder and Golden Mountain sauce (a sauce made from fermented soy, salt, and sugar). In Cambodia, on the other hand, you can taste the nightmare of every arachnophobic: the tarantula. One of the most used products in street food stalls: fried or roasted. In China, eating insects is a centuries-old tradition. The fried scorpions they are the pride of street cooking, while in the most refined kitchens they are first marinated in a white wine sauce and then fried. Instead, the specialty of Japanese gastronomy is boiled wasp larvae.
Africa
Winged termites, moth caterpillars, ants and so much more. The Mopane worm it is highly appreciated in East Africa, given its great versatility in the kitchen: smoked, soups, stews or served as chips. In Kenya, le termites they have a high reputation. Especially consumed by children for their high protein content, they can be roasted or used to thicken sauces or soups.
Australia and New Zealand
Cerambycid larvae are very popular in New Zealand, they are found in the rotten wood of trees and are eaten both raw and cooked. In Australia, however, Aboriginal people eat le honeypot ants (I go honey), which have a belly full of nectar and as big as a grape.
