An alternative Sustainable Source of Protein for Humans and Animals

Abstract

The consumption of insects (also called entomophagy) is traditionally practiced by more than two billion people worldwide; around 524 insect species are estimated to be consumed in Africa, 349 in Asia, 679 in the America, 152 in Australia and only 41 in Europe (Jongema 2015). Mexico has the highest number of insect species that are documented as edible, followed by Thailand, Congo, India, Australia, China and Zambia (Ramos-Elorduy et al. 2012; Jongema 2015). Insects constitute about three-fourths of the total organisms present on earth (Pedigo 2002). According to Rumpold and Oliver (2013), the insects could be divided into orders such as Diptera (black soldier fly, housefly), Coleoptera (mealworms), Megadrilacea (earthworm), Lepidoptera (silkworm and cirina forda) and Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locust and crickets).