Who eats bugs?
Many cultures around
the world use insects, and related arthropods such
as spiders and scorpions, as a regular part of the
diet. Both adult insects and larvae are consumed and
these critters are surprisingly high in protein
content and relatively low in fat. Frequently
insects are dried and ground into a sort of flour
then mixed with grain flour to make breads, pasta,
and so forth.
In the US, where
deliberate consumption of arthropods is less common,
the average consumer still gets a certain amount of
arthropod protein in the form of harmless
contaminants of cereals, peanut butter and similar
processed food. In fact, a certain defined level of
insect contamination is allowed in processed foods
and it is completely harmless when consumed.
So, while insects
consume a lot of the world's food supply in fields
and warehouses they also contribute to it in many
ways. Take a look at these book selections (right)
for proven recipes and techniques for using insects
in cooking. Bon appétit!
