What makes up humanity is evolution and innovation. Technology is being improved, healthcare facilities are also seeing the light of innovation and evolution. The food sector isn’t left out. There are a couple of new innovations in the food sector that aim at sustainability.
Aside from genetically modified foods, we have insect derived food. Shocker right? This is one of the many innovations being brought gradually into the sector. In this article we’re going to look at the fundamental things to know about insect derived food.
What Are Insect Derived Foods?
As the name implies, insect derived foods or ingredients are simply foods gotten from insects. Instead of eating traditional proteins like turkey, chicken, food companies are resorting to insects to create nutritious substitutes like protein, vitamins, fats etc., that traditional foods would give a person. These insect derived ingredients include: insect flour, insect oil, or even whole insects that are safe to eat.
How Are Insect Derived Foods Gotten?
These insects are being raised on special farms. When they mature, they’re cleaned and sometimes roasted to remove moisture, just as you would your dried meat and dried fish. Next, they are ground into a fine powder to be used as insect flour or pressed into extra oil.
While whole insect food is basically seasoned and cooked dehydrated bugs. In Nigeria, people already eat whole insect foods like Esunsun (termites), locusts, crickets, palm weevil larvae kebab etc.
Common insect species used for food production include crickets and mealworms. These insects are chosen because they are rich in protein and other nutrients, and they can be raised easily in controlled environments.
What Are The Sustainable Benefits of Insect Derived Foods?
- Insects are small and can be grown in small spaces, until the traditional livestock farming that requires a lot of land.
- Insects lower the emission of greenhouse gasses because they have a simpler digestive process than mammals. In that, livestock produce a gas called methane during the digestion process, through flatulence, or burping. This has been from flatulence or burping is then released into the atmosphere and constitutes climate change.
- Insect farming provides employment, especially in rural areas where there is little to no job availability.
- Insect derived foods are a good alternative source for protein, and nutrients. They can easily be available in areas where traditional protein sources are scarce.
Bottom Line
Insect derived foods or ingredients are simply foods gotten from insects. Instead of eating traditional proteins like turkey, chicken, food companies are resorting to insects to create nutritious substitutes like protein, vitamins, fats etc., that traditional foods would give a person.
Insect derived foods are sustainable in that they use less land and water than cows and chickens. They also lower the emission of greenhouse gasses and other benefits.
