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February 25, 2008
Hey Mom! What's for Dinner?
U.N. Conference Promotes Insect-Eating for Everyone
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Crickets, caterpillars and grubs are high in protein and minerals and could be an important food source during droughts and other emergencies, according to scientists.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 1,400 species of insects and worms are eaten in almost 90 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Researchers at the conference detailed how crickets and silk worms are eaten in Thailand, grubs and grasshoppers in Africa and ants in South America.
The challenge, experts said, is organizing unregulated, small bug food operations in many countries so they can supplement the food that aid agencies provide. The infrastructure to raise, transport and market bugs is almost nonexistent in most countries.
There are questions about the safety of eating bugs and potential dangers from over-harvesting them, said Durst, who became interested in the practice known scientifically as entomophagy during his years working in Bangkok, where crickets and bamboo worms are sold as food by street vendors.
Tina van den Briel, senior nutritionist at the World Food Program, the U.N. agency that provides food in emergencies, expressed doubt that insects can benefit large, vulnerable populations. Most bugs are seasonal and have a short shelf life, she said.
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Thanks but, I'll take a pass on that. Why don't you send my portion to the Hungry Hippo?
Posted by LindaSoG at February 25, 2008 07:02 AM
Comments
Well, I am certainly not going to start stuffing my larder with cockroaches, but let's not jump the gun too quickly here. When I was in Bangkok, I had some fried grasshoppers w/garlic from a street vendor. Tasty as hell!
Try to remember, there was a day when Americans thought tomatoes were poisonous and only tried them after slaves were seen gobbling them down, and lobsters were thought to be giant water bugs. What is most revolting about the UN's report is that it came from the UN. Who wants to trust them in the first place?
And, no, I do not serve cricket soup to my dinner guests. I typically start off with a nice amuse-bouche of chilled and grilled black mission figs with mascarpone foam and prosciutto di parma followed by some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
Bon appetit!
Posted by: Kevin M at February 25, 2008 10:32 AM
Darn Linda, that brought back memories of the kids selling rice beetles at roadside stands in RVN, huge nasty bugs that the locals would bite the head off of and suck out the innards. That crunch always worked for me, I gave away many a lunch of C rations due to lack of appetite. You can buy canned chrysalis at almost all the oriental markets, hors d'oeuvre?
Posted by: Jack at February 25, 2008 12:08 PM
Kevin......Lobsters ARE big waterbugs. Tasty, but waterbugs none the less....I always blindfold myself while eatin' 'em.
Wollf
Posted by: howlsatmoon at February 25, 2008 03:20 PM
Remember the U.N. believes that insects are for you, the peasants, they of course will dine on better things.
Posted by: DoubleU at February 25, 2008 08:33 PM
I'm all for everyone eating bugs...more cows for us!
Posted by: MitchM at February 29, 2008 06:52 PM
Linda,
I cannot connect with you in any other forum, so I need to do it here.
Please release me from what you are doing to me.
I need to make a life for myself and to survive.
I am reduced to this, as nobody will do business with me because when they do a simple Google search...your comments show up.
Please give me the chance to make maoney to pay you and go on...
Posted by: steve at March 15, 2008 11:45 PM