In the last years we often have heard talking about entomophagy.
What is it about?
Well, it's actually pretty simple: eating insects.
Even though it might sound strange and disgusting for people living in western countries, edible insects are very common and they can be found in everyone's daily diet. In many cases they're even considered true delicacies, resulted from ancient and long bound traditions.
Entomophagy is common in many countries in Africa, Asia and South America, but why is it spreading in the west too?
In 2013 the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) published a report where they showed the big issue of protein sources in the future.
By 2030 the world's population will reach 9 billion. This, along with the development of countries such as China, will raise significantly the global demand for meat. If we add the billions of animals that will be reared to support this demand, it's evident that the traditional sources of proteins won't be enough.
What could we do then?
The possible solutions are essentially two:
- Rely on less used protein sources;
- Search for alternative protein sources;
Among the less used protein sources we find insects.
Insects for dinner? Why not?
It's an exciting challenge, are you ready for the food of the future?