Entomophagy

Entomophagy

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: The EU food safety agency has certified the yellow mealworm (not actually a nematode, but the larva of a species of darkling beetle)as being i.e., safe to be part of meal.

Concept:

• Entomophagy is the technical term for eating insects. It is a sustainable, cheap diet that can help the cause of nutrition security around the world.
• It is a source of protein and fibre, and said to taste like peanuts, mealworms are however not recommended for those with certain allergies.
• Insect as food industry is seen as alternative as current protein source is largely the meat and poultry industry and have been tied to significant greenhouse gas emissions and serious public health risks.
• low-income nations, especially those struggling with nutrition-sufficiency, could benefit greatly from insect-consumption
• Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle. These are holometabolic insects (Describing insect development in which there is complete metamorphosis and the immature stages, called larvae, are markedly different from the adults)