Theinsects are an easily accessible source of nutritious, protein-rich foodfound in forests, according to a new study presented by FAO at the International Conference on Forests for Food and Nutrition Security held these days in Rome. It is estimated that insectsare part of the traditional diets of at least 2 billion people. In addition, the collection and breeding of insects can generate jobs and income also at the industrial level.
According to FAO research, carried out in collaboration with the University of Wageningen (The Netherlands),humans consume more than 1,900 species of insects in the world. Globally, the most consumed are: beetles (31 percent), caterpillars (18 percent), bees, wasps and ants (14 percent), and grasshoppers, locusts and crickets (13 percent). Many insects are rich in protein and good fats and are high incalcium, iron and zinc. Beef has an iron content of 6 mg per 100 g of dry weight, while the iron content of lobsters varies between 8 and 20 mg per 100 g of dry weight, depending on the species and type. of food that the insects themselves consume.
On the other hand, raising insects sustainably can help prevent over-exploitation of forests. Some species, such as themealworm, are already produced commercially, as they are used as pet food, in zoos and in recreational fishing. If production were to be more automated, costs could be lowered to a level where the industry would benefit from replacing fishmeal with, for example, insect meal in livestock feed. The advantage would be an increased supply of fish for human consumption.
Because they are cold blooded,insects do not use food energy to maintain body temperature. On average, insects consume only 2 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of insect meat. At the other end of the spectrum, a cow requires 8 kg of feed to obtain 1 kg of beef.
In addition, insects produce areduced amount of emissions such as methane, ammonia, greenhouse gases and manure, all of which pollutes the environment. In fact, insects can be used to break down waste, aiding in composting processes that return nutrients to the soil while reducing odors.
