Worming My Way Into Entomophagy

In a recent conversation with a friend, I found out he ate insects. Not just for the novelty or as a penalty – he has eaten quite few species and says grilled cockroaches are his favourite.  

I used to cringe at the thought of eating insects, but as I learnt about the benefits of entomophagy, the more the justification outweighs the ick factor.  

In the environmental perspective, eating insects could play a significant part in combating climate change. The carbon footprint of rearing insects is much smaller than that of producing conventional livestock (TED-Ed, 2014), and insects require much less water and antibiotics to survive (TED-Ed, 2014). Not only that, they can fit into the agricultural system as an alternative to current food for livestock. Insects can also be reared on vegetable peelings, reducing the food waste that would otherwise go to landfills (TED-Ed, 2014).

In many non-Western cultures, insects are an essential part of the diet. They are packed with nutrients and minerals (Kouřimská & Adámková, 2016) and are relatively affordable to rear. Tropical nations especially have many edible species, which encourages entomophagy (Huis, 2016). And so, geographical reasons may explain why Western countries shy away from eating insects; they tend to be less biodiverse.  

So why is it that in Singapore, an equatorial country well-suited for edible insect rearing, entomophagy isn’t a thing?  

Some people DO know the good entomophagy would do for both ourselves and our planet, but there’s a caveat: it’s disgusting. 

We are undoubtedly an urbanised nation. As our lifestyles changed, so did our perspectives, and we quickly began seeing insects as pests and distanced ourselves from whatever foraging roots we had.  

Despite most Singaporeans being unwilling to put creepy-crawlies into their mouths due to the unshakeable link between insects and unhygienic practices, the local market for edible insects is growing. They still aren’t eaten whole, but rather made into more palatable forms such as alcohol or flour so that we don’t need to contend with all the spindly antennae and legs as we consume them (Bowers, 2020).

While it is commendable that Singaporeans are becoming more open to sustainable protein options, these examples of entomophagy in Singapore so far seem targeted towards those of higher socio-economic status. Novel, artisanal products such as these are bound to be pricier. For example, 500 grams of the cricket flour costs $25 while 1kg of plain flour from NTUC costs $1.85Entomophagy in Singapore is starkly different from the idea of how entomophagy can uplift people in developing countries, being a potential method of achieving food security affordably. I believe if there is a paradigm shift in how we view edible insects, not only will this healthy food source be accessible to more, but we will also be on track to a more sustainable food culture.   

My doodles of commonly eaten insects

References

  1. TED-Ed. (2014, January 2). Should we eat bugs? – Emma Bryce [Video]. Youtube.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDqXwUS402I
  2. Kouřimská, L., & Adámková, A. (2016). Nutritional and sensory quality of edible insects. NFS Journal, 4, 22-26. doi:10.1016/j.nfs.2016.07.001
  3. Huis, A. V. (2016). Edible insects are the future? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 75(3), 294-305. doi:10.1017/s0029665116000069
  4. Bowers, B. (2020, March 13). Could the alcohol industry be tapping into insects for a new flavour frontier? Retrieved September 09, 2020, from https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/food-drink/dining/alcohol-insects-entomophagy-ant-gin-cricket-beer/

11 thoughts on “Worming My Way Into Entomophagy

  1. Hi Anna, this seems rather interesting. I guess my main concern before eating insects if it is safe/hygienic. Having had cockroach in Traditional Chinese Medicine , I can’t say I’m optimistic about the taste though. Will you be looking into making insects more palatable in future blog posts and how that can be commercialised?

    I can’t help but notice the title of your blog too. Do you plan on talking about frog farming in a future post?

    1. Hey Ee Kin!

      Wow, so now I know 2 people who’ve eaten cockroach haha! I completely agree that hygiene is a big issue surrounding entopoghapy, and there is research regarding the possible pathogens, heavy metals, and chemicals that insects may transfer with human consumption. Nonetheless, there are many guidelines for basic sanitation practices insect farms are required to follow before insects are counted as human-grade (phew haha)!

      Since you and Jeng Wei brought it up, I may start searching up on how to make insects more palatable! Get ready for some insect recipe ideas ahah.

      I initially made my blog title on a whim, but I do plan on discussing some issues about frogs x food in the future! I visited a frog farm in Kranji a few years back with my school, and I have quite a few interesting memories about the trip that I’d like to share. Hopefully I can incorporate them in my future frog posts haha.

      Thank you for visiting my blog! 🙂

      Anna

  2. Hi Anna!

    This was such an interesting read! I must say, I do find the idea of eating insects to be gross, but I think much of has to do with how it looks. If I were presented an insect meal that doesn’t remotely resemble an insect (like if it was disguised as a chicken or something haha), I probably would have no qualms eating it. I also wasn’t aware of the nutritional value that insects have, so this came as a surprise. Just a quick question, how do you think we can start making the paradigm shift in the way we view edible insects happen (just some thoughts, no need for an elaborate reply haha)?

    Cheers!
    Jeng Wei

    1. Hey Jeng Wei!

      I agree that visuals play a very important role in how appealing food seems (Did you know that green coloured foods are percieved to be fresher and more nutritious)!

      I feel like in Singapore, there’s two ways entomophagy could be encouraged. First, maybe through using insects in high-end food and introducing it as a novelty which is very valuable and chim (there’s already some bars in SG that use ants in their dishes lol). Second, if the normalacy of insect eating which is prevalent in other SEA cultures seeps into how Singaporeans percieve entomophagy, maybe as we travel and are exposed to such cuisines. Of course this is all speculative, as there is definetly a lot of inertia in introducing bugs to our diet, especially when people don’t know the benefits of them!

      Thank you for your comment! Glad you visited my blog haha 🙂

      Anna

  3. Hi Anna!

    Just wanted to say that I love the illustrations that you included in this post because they were so well-drawn, and the fact that you did them with a pen and paper is probably the epitome of what I call “talent”. Anyhow, this was such an interesting read, even for someone who’s not too fond of insects (I’m terrified of things with either too many legs or no legs and yes, I cried when my Dad showed me a grilled mealworm that was used to feed my hamster). However, as someone who also has the urge to try everything at least once in my life, I presume the most that I’m willing to go is fried crickets (because I heard they taste like shrimp crackers).

    As I was reading the post, one question did come to mind though and I was wondering whether there would be any risks involved with the consumption of such insects. It could be health-related or environment-related (i.e. what could happen if they escape the farms, for example), I’m fine with either one!

    Definitely looking forward to the rest of your blog posts and perhaps more of your doodles too (no obligations or pressure though haha)!

    1. Hey Natasha!

      Omg THANK YOU I really appreciate your kind words! I haven’t drawn in while and just wanted to add some pics (without risking…copyright issues…lol). My friend said that when she tried crickets in the past, all the legs and antennae got stuck in her braces ._. what a concept.

      The health and environmental concerns are very valid! Insect guts have all sorts of bacteria and microbes which although may be safe to eat, if we try to rear them and change their natural diet, it could impact the microbes in their digestive system and create unprecedented effects. The idea of an entire farm of insects being let loose is also worthy of a disaster movie, but strangely I haven’t found much on this issue in my research! I usually find guidelines are limited to “taping up doors and gaps” to prevent insects from escaping. Not sure if that implies the chances of escape are little, or if there simply isn’t enough consideration of it :0. Some farms use interesting methods though, like how Shandong Qiaobin Agricultural Technology rears cockroaches and to prevent escape, they surround the enclosure with a moat filled with water and fish. If the cockroaches escape they will fall in and the fishes will eat them! om nom nom

      Thank you for commenting!

      Anna

      1. Hi Anna,

        I agree with Natasha that the drawings are a fantastic touch. You do a great job answering your peers’ questions too.
        I was wondering… if insects were to escape from production centres, what types of questions would you ask to decide whether this represents a real environmental risk ?

        Thanks, jc

        1. Hi Dr Coleman!

          Thank you so much! I feel that personally, I would first consider how different numbers of escaped insects would have differing degrees of impact. Of course, a handful of insects escaping is likely to be no big deal! But what is the critical number that disrupts the natural ecosystem? It’s diet and predators, which are opposing factors, should be considered in this computation.
          What the swarms of insects can actually do is also something to consider. If they were to swarm like locusts which devastate crops from India to East Africa, that would no doubt count as a real risk (ironically also disrupting the food security it hoped to improve).

          That was just some thoughts about what I’d consider in deciding if insects escaping can count an environmental risk! (Interestingly, I also found something about a Sterile Insect Technique, which involves releasing a large number of sterile male insects to breed with wild female ones to reduce unwanted insect populations. Reminded me of the genetically modified mosquitoes we’re trying in Singapore to reduce dengue!)

          Anna

    1. Thanks for the kind words! I just used a default blog theme from WordPress (this one is called Amadeus) and edited the widgets/ style to my liking. Have fun with yours!

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