Slides from the talk given by Peter Smithers for the Plymouth branch of the British Science Association SciBar 7th June 2011 at the B-Bar

1. Insects as Human Food

2. Grubs up: Eating insects
More than 1,000 types of insect are eaten
in countries around the world. So why
are we so squeamish? Carlene Thomas-
Bailey talks to Marc Denis a man on a
mission to change your mind
•The Guardian, Saturday 13 November
2010
Makes 20.
110g high-quality dark chocolate
20 pieces crystallised ginger
20 dry-roasted crickets
Line a plate with parchment paper. Break the chocolate into
pieces and put in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at
50% power, remove, stir, and continue cooking at 50% power in
10-second increments, stirring after each burst, until the
chocolate is melted.
Take a piece of ginger, hold a cricket alongside it and dip
the bottom half in melted chocolate. Let the excess drip away.
Place each chocolate-dipped ginger and cricket duo on the
prepared plate and leave in the fridge until the chocolate sets.

3. Marc Dennis, Founder

4. 19 February 2008, Chiang Mai, Thailand
A workshop organized by the United Nations
Food & Agriculture Organisation discussed
the potential for developing insects in the
Asia and Pacific region.
Led by Professor Arnold van Huis an
entomologist at Wageningen University in
Belgium

5. 80% of the world’s population
eat insects as a regular part of
their diet.

6. Africa
• Congo. 10 % of the
population’s protein comes
from insects, mainly
caterpillars.
• Zambia. Bee larvae and
pupae are eaten with honey.
• South Africa. Mopane
worms. Saturnid moth
caterpillars are a delicacy.

7. Africa
• Zimbabwe.
• Termites are a popular
snack , often found in
bars.

8. Malawi.
Lake Malawi produces great
swarms of phantom midges
which are harvested and
cooked as a pate.

9. Japan,
• Rice field grasshoppers
are regularly harvested
for the table.
• Caddis fly larvae
(zazamushi) are sold in
tins and served in
restaurants.
• Bee and wasp adults,
larvae and pupae
(hachiniko) are eaten.

10. China
• Ants and house
fly larvae are
farmed for food.
• Scorpions are also
reared for the
table.

11. Water beetles

12. India & China
• Silk worm pupae are a
high protein by
product of the silk
industry.

13. Latin America • South America, palm
weevil larvae and leaf
cutter ants.
• Mexico, grasshoppers,
maguey worms (butterfly
caterpillars), escamoles
(ant larvae), bee and
wasp larvae.
• Mexican caviar or
ahuahutle (eggs of water
boatmen).

14. Far East
• Thailand, A government
campaign has encouraged
insect consumption as a
means of controlling
Grasshoppers.
• Korea, rice field
grasshoppers and silk
worms.

15. Austalia
Aboriginal use of Insects
Bogong moth. Noctuidae Adult moth used as food.
Bush cockroach. Blattidae Local anesthetic.
Green tree ant. Formicidae Used to prepare a refreshing drink, cure
headaches, and as a cold remedy, as an antiseptic and expectorant.
Honeypot ant. Formicidae Worker ants used as food.
Lerp insect. Psyllidae Lerp (manna-like substance) was sugar source
used directly as food and also made into drinks.
Processionary caterpillar. Notodontidae Silk bag made by gregarious
larvae used as a protective dressing for wounds.
Sugarbag honey bees. Apidae Hive (sugarbag) of native bees consumed
for food and honey used as medicine to "clean their guts out"
Termites. Termitidae Didjeridu (wind instrument) made from tree limbs
hollowed out by termites and termites used as food and termitaria used
for absorbent antidiarrheal agent.
Witchety grub. Cossidae Fat-rich larvae used as food and crushed to
provide a protective covering for wounds and burns.

16. Commercial Insect Production
• Congo. Caterpillar production in the
districts of Kwango & Kwilu is 300 tons /
year.
• Zambia. Caterpillar production equals 1600
tonnes / year.
• India. Silk worm pupae production is 183
tonnes / year.

17. Crop Value
• Thailand. Grasshoppers fetched $2.8/kg.
• A farmer could make $120 /half acre.
• Total annual sales were $6 million.
• Japan. Canned wasps sell at $8/65g tin.
• Hornet larvae sell for $20/100g.
• Mexico. Escamoles are sold in restaurants
for $25/ plate and are exported to Canada
were they sell for $50/30g can.
• Colombia. Leaf cutter ants sell for
$20/pound.

18. Nutritional Value
g/100g
In se c t P r o te in Fat C a r b o h y d r a te Ir o n C a lc iu m C a lo r ie s
R ed A nt 1 3 .9 3 .5 2 .9 5 .7 4 7 .8
S ilk W o r m P u p a e 9 .6 5 .6 2 .3 1 .8 4 1 .7
C r ick e t 1 2 .9 5 .5 5 .1 9 .5 7 5 .8
L arge 1 4 .3 3 .3 2 .2 3 .0 2 7 .5
G r a ssh o p p e r
C a te r p illa r 6 .7 ? ? 1 3 .1 ? 4 0 0 -5 0 0
T e r m ite 1 4 .2 ? ? 3 5 .5 ? 613
G ia n t W a te r 1 9 .8 8 .3 2 .1 1 3 .6 4 3 .5
B e e tle
B eef 2 7 .4 ? ? 3 .5 ? 219
(g r o u n d , le a n )
F ish 2 8 .5 ? ? 1 .0 ? 170
(b r o ile d c o d )

19. Insect Contaminants of Food.
United States Department of Agriculture
Legal maximum limits for contamination
of food by insects.
• Ketchup, 30 fly eggs / 100 g.
• Canned sweetcorn, 2 larvae / 100 g.
• Peanut butter, 50 insect fragments / 100g.
• Curry powder, 100 insect fragments / 100g.
• Coffee, 10% of beans infested with insects.

20. 70
64
60
50
40
40
Beef
Poultry
30 Crickets
24 25
20
16.5
10
4.1
2 1
0.13
0
kg/m2 maturation age (months) Energy conversion index

21. The Future
•Insects are rich in protein , vitamins
and minerals.
•They require less space than
conventional livestock.
•They posses a higher feed to meat
conversion ratio than conventional
livestock.