Entomophagy is an ancient practice viewed as a potential solution to food security and sustainable ecosystemmanagement in Africa. However, its expansion is challenged by several factors including acculturation, urbanisationand lack of information. Knowledge on indigenous practices can contribute to refining ongoing research activities and stimulate the development of adequate technologies to guide research, business and policy in entomophagy. We documented indigenous practices using outcomes of an online survey conducted between 2013 and 2015 and intensive literature crowd sourcing. Edible insects are mainly collected from wild harvesting using different methods. Although respondents acknowledged the existence of rearing technologies, no comprehensive procedure wasdescribed. We found that after collection, the processing techniques for either consumption or commercialisation varied. Our survey revealed that sun drying was the most commonly used processing technique probably because it does not require much input as compared to frying, boiling or roasting. Processing techniques such as boilingseem not only to reduce the amounts of toxic phytochemicals found on insects but also to eliminate some pathogenswhich can contaminate the insects during collection. To improve shelf life, certain additives such as salt, palm oil or pure honey were used to preserve the dried insects. The findings from this study are discussed from research policy and business perspective.
RESEARCH ARTICLE
African indigenous knowledge on edible insects to guide research and policy
S. Niassy Related information
1Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Postgraduate School of Agriculture and Rural Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.
*saliou. niassy@up. ac. za
, K.K.M. Fiaboe Related information*saliou.
2Department of Plant Health, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Duduville Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
, H.D. Affognon Related information3International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), BP 320 Bamako, Mali.
, K.S. Akutse Related information2Department of Plant Health, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Duduville Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
4Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002 Fuzhou, China.
, M.C. Tanga Related information4Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002 Fuzhou, China.
2Department of Plant Health, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Duduville Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
, S. Ekesi Related information2Department of Plant Health, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Duduville Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Journal of Insects as Food and Feed: 2
(3)- Pages: 161 - 170
Published Online: June 14, 2016
Abstract
Keywords: Africa, community practices, entomophagy, policy, practices, research
2022 Journal Impact Factor
5.7
source: Journal Impact Factor 2023™ from Clarivate™
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Now available: Open Access JIFF Special Issue as follow-up of the book 'Insects as food and feed: from production to consumption'
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