Insectes comestibles Blog voyage : Tour du monde de l'entomophagie
FAQ:
Introduction:
Where did the idea of eating insects come from ? Current methods of animal husbandry are extremely high in energy consumption and would not meet the food needs of a global population estimated to reach 10 billion in 2050. Insects consume much less water, space and food than traditional animal husbandry and are a source of protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. This really makes these six-legged animals an excellent alternative to meat, and a sustainable solution for tomorrow’s world. Is it true that we eat insects without knowing it ? Yes ! It’s true that industrial producers are unable to avoid the absence of insects in our cereals, chocolate beans, spices etc.… However, regulation called codex alimentarius fixes an insect content limit in foods most exposed to exposure such as grains and flours. For example, for wheat, the regulation allows a maximum of 0.1% per sample size to consist of insect pieces. Here are some examples of food containing insects:
In total, it’s estimated that betweeen bread, chocolate, fruits and vegetables, and all the other foods that use flour as a base (cookies, pastas etc…), a person will eat between 500g and 1kg of insects each year ! So, don’t be scared and choose to eat insects, just voluntarily ! I’d like to eat insects, but their texture and appearance really put me off : how can I get around that ? You can either cook the insects into a sauce for raw insects (caterpillars…) or reduce them into a flour-like texture for dry insects (mealworms, crickets…). For recipe idea, check out our « Recipe » section and surprise your friends and family ! |
Insects benefits :
Why are insects good for the environment ? Insects are good for the environment due to their low greenhouse gas emissions, and their low water, food and space consumption. So, if you choose to be vegetarian for environmental reasons, you’ll find insects are a great alternative for proteins that remains sustainable. Why are insects good for you ? Insects are rich in animal proteins, which are processed easily by the body. They are also rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, the so-called « good fats », which can also be found in fish or dried fruits. Some insects are even rich in fibers, minerals and vitamins. |
General information about Edible Insects:
How many people eat insects daily ? Close to 2 billion people eat insects daily around the world ! How many insects are eaten around the world ? Close to 1900 species of insects in the world are edible. With so much variety, you’ll definitely be able to find one that you’ll enjoy. What are the major Edible Insect groups ? The insects that are most consumed in the world are of the Coleoptera taxonomic order (31%), closely followed by caterpillars (18%), ants, wasps and bees (14%) and finally crickets (13%). In which country are insect consumed the most ? Countries that eat the most insects are Mexico, China, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
Insects vs meat:
Can insects replace meat ? Yes, like meat, insects contain the 8 amino acids necessary for a healthy diet. Are insect higher in protein content than beef ? Raw insects are as rich in protein as beef. Many sources claim that insects have twice the protein content of beef, but this is actually false – these sources compare the protein content based on a dry weight for insects, while using conventional weight for the beef. To be able to compare the nutritional value of insects and meat, it’s therefore key to compare raw (non-dried) insects and meat, or dried insects and dried meats. |
Animal welfare :
No, or at least much less than other animals ! Insects have a relatively under-developed nervous system and therefore feel very little pain. For those vegetarians out there…
Legislation :
France follows a European law, called the Novel Food Law. This law has a list of « new » foods (which were not consumed in Europe prior to 1999), for which a commercial license is needed from the European sanitary agency (EFSA) before any sales are permitted.
Insects such as crickets and mealworms feature on this list since 2017. Therefore, each company who wishes to sell these insects must first complete an online application, making a license request, which can take a lot of time and money.
However, there must be a few companies in France that commercially sell these insects right ? Yes, it’s true, companies that existed prior to 2017 can continue to sell these insects during the time it takes to acquire a license. But today, a brand new company, in France like in other European countries, must first obtain a license to sell insects ! For more details, don’t hesitate to contact us !