Human Consumption of Insects in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lepidoptera and Potential Species for Breeding

Abstract

There are 472 edible insect species in sub-Saharan Africa, of which 31% are Lepidoptera. Wild harvesting is still the main source of supply for these prized species to this day, with some harvesting techniques negatively impacting the environment. The successful production of edible caterpillars requires the appropriate and efficient implementation of husbandry techniques and practices. In this review, we present current literature on edible caterpillars. We provide a general overview of their life history, nutritional composition, and availability associated with specific host plants, with emphasis on semi-domestication and rearing practices that should replace wild harvest. Based on the assimilated information, a proposal of potential species for farming is provided, with details on key characteristics of development cycles to promote the establishment and development of sustainable farms of edible caterpillars at small and large scales. Such advances would contribute toward reducing anthropological pressure related to the exploitation of these food resources, as well as the environmental footprint of this widespread practice.

Edible Insects: A New Sustainable Nutritional Resource Worth Promoting

“…Edible insects contain high-quality protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and some trace elements, and their nutritional benefits have been increasingly acknowledged [15]. In fact, they are comparable to, if not better than, conventional foods in terms of certain nutrients [16,17]. For example, the protein content of fresh edible caterpillars and chicken is 28 g/100 g fresh weight and 21 g/100 g fresh weight, respectively [18,19].…”

Potential of Insect Life Stages as Functional Ingredients for Improved Nutrition and Health

“…Globally, over 1900 insect species form part of human diets, with others being used as animal feed, an indication that entomophagy is widely practiced [ 7 ]. From a nutritional perspective, edible insects are not inferior to conventional sources but rather rival or are even better than them in terms of other nutrients [ 10 ]. For instance, edible caterpillars have higher protein content compared to chicken meat (28 and 21 g/100 g on a fresh matter basis, respectively) [ 11 ].…”