The Benefits of Eating Insects

Western Exterminator, part of the Rentokil family of pest control companies, has published an infographic that looks at the health and environmental benefits of entomophagy (eating insects).

Western has previously coordinated several global pop-up restaurants serving dishes that contain edible insects. Referred to as Pestaurants, the events aim to educate people of the advantages of an insect-rich diet.

“In 2009, The Food Insects Newsletter – Chronicle of a Changing Culture was published by Gene DeFoliart, Florence Dunkel, and David Gracer. DeFoliart has been coined as the ‘father of modern day entomophagy,’ the eating of insects as food,” said Rentokil North America Technical Director Gene White.

In his closing paragraph of first scientific paper on the subject published in 1975, DeFoliart stated, “Insect protein abounds all around us. It has been established that it is of high quality. The need now is for those who are familiar with the biology of specific insect species to become acquainted with the kinds and quantities of wastes available and to do some exploratory research to determine the true economic feasibility of harvesting this protein and of utilizing insects in recycling wastes for the production of protein.”

 “I, myself, have used entomophagy to secretly teach basic entomology through the Culinary Bugstitute tent at the Cleveland Metro Park’s annual Bug City event,” White said. “After 22 years of running the event, in my observations, the general public’s interest and fascination (especially children) in the idea of eating well-prepared and fun insect cuisine has never faded.”

Today, start-up businesses across the globe have been producing low-cost forms of insect protein to supplement an ever-growing global need for livestock production and human consumption alike. “The hope to fill a nutritional void for those impoverished countries of the world through the great science of entomology is becoming a reality we can all be proud of,” White said.

View the Infographic.

Read QA’s article on Eating Insects.