Eating insects might be yucky, but can be nutritious food alternative

To cater to increasing need for food of flourishing global population, several studies have reviewed insects as potential human food. Earlier, many reviews have dealt with insects in a group, which me it difficult to evaluate each insect species as food due to generalized data. According to a study by National Centre for Biotechlogy Information, mealworms have higher or similar nutritional values compared to several or food sources. For instance, protein content in mealworm larvae is about 50% of dry weight, while fat content is approximately 30%.

According to studies, mealworms can be cooked or prepared by various methods like oven broiling, roasting, pan-frying, boiling, deep-frying, and microwaving. But it has t been studied how texture, taste, and flavour of a mealworm change on being stored for commercial use. Factors that control shelf life of se insects including stor, as well as packaging, have to be identified according to feasibility of using mealworms as a commercial source. 

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Consumption across world

According to a report published by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations in 2013, about 2 billion people consume insects as a part of ir tritional diet across world. This practice is called entomophagy. Entomophagy is practised in different countries such as China, New Zealand, Australia, Africa, Asia, and parts of Central and South America. 

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Sensory aspects 

Amongst commonly used insects, caterpillars, wasps, ants, bees, grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts, beetles are most popular. According to research, more than 1,900 species of insects are considered to be edible. But in western culture, insects fail to satisfy taste buds of people. As per a study published by Journal of Insects as Food and Feed in 2012, around 72% of Americans are t willing to consume insects or even consider m as food. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), most of western population finds entomophagy quite disgusting and associate this practice of eating bugs as food as primitive behaviour. 

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Various Health Benefits

According to a research by National Centre for Biotechlogy Information (NCBI) of National Institutes of Health (NIH), it has been proven that insects have high nutritional value, especially high proteins in terms of ami acids composition. Moreover, studies have revealed that bugs have a high concentration of lipids. Some also have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. Talking about vitamins, retil levels are low in insects, but y are rich in riboflavin, pantonic acid and biotin. In some cases, folic acid has also been found in high percent. 

FAO claims that insects are at par or sometimes better when it comes to nutritious content as compared to meats including beef. Loed with several nutritional values, eating insects can help people dealing with obesity. y have also been considered a great source of essential nutrients, a cheap source of food. And since it is easily accessible, it is being said that insect consumption can help fight malnutrition.  

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