Environmental effects of harvesting some Mexican wild edible insects: An overview

Abstract

Most traditional edible insects are collected from the forest and agricultural fields, where they are considered pests. However, their importance goes beyond this. They also have an ecological role and potential to be an emerging alternative source of high-quality nutrients that can help satisfy the growing food demand for the human population. Agricultural insect pests are a healthy food source during the harvesting season in many tropical countries. In Mexico, wild insects such as chicatana (queen of flying leaf-cutter ant, Atta mexicana Smith, 1,858; Hymenoptera: Formicidae), chapulín (grasshopper, Pyrgomorphidae), chinicuil (agave red worm, Comadia redtenbacheri Hammerschmidt, 1,848: Lepidoptera, Cossidae), and meocuil (agave white worm, Aegiale hesperiaris Walker 1,856, Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) are seasonally collected from the agricultural land and forest for food and medicine. Thus, their consumption might be regarded as support for biological plague control. However, in most countries (Mexico included), there is a lack of legislation about edible insects from harvesting to sacrifice and even their main safety aspects. So then, this research aims to provide an updated assessment of the potential use of agricultural pest insects as a sustainable alternative for food, considering current international legislative and ethical concerns about harvesting and consuming wild edible insects, focusing on some of the wild edible pest insects in Mexico.

Edible cockroaches as food and feed – A systematic review on health benefits, nutritional aspects and consumer acceptance

“…Around 92% of the edible insect species that are consumed are directly obtained from their natural habitats through harvesting, while 6% are partially domesticated. Only a small percentage, approximately 2%, are specifically bred and raised in controlled indoor farming settings (Piña-Domínguez et al, 2022). For centuries, harvesting insects has been practiced in Mexico, prior to the Spanish arrival (pre-Hispanic eras), insects were already considered as a valuable food source (Hawkey et al, 2021).…”

Alphitobius diaperinus larvae (lesser mealworm) as human food – An approval of the European Commission – A critical review

“…Larvae of A. diaperinus have been identified as a promising candidate for mass-rearing due to high nutritional value and ease of rearing (Rumbos et al, 2019). This species has been successfully used as a feed source for poultry and fish, as well as a potential ingredient in human food products such as protein bars and snacks (Rumbos et al, 2019).The mass rearing of A. diaperinus has a low environmental impact because it can be raised on organic byproducts, reducing the need for additional feed resources (Piña-Domínguez et al, 2022).…”