A regulation proposed by the European Commission and approved by the member states, authorizes the placing on the market of flour larvae starting from . The larvae of the flour are thus added to the crickets, locusts and yellow larvae of the meal, already authorized for consumption in Europe. However, it remains to be seen if and to what extent the population will decide to introduce insects into their diet.Judging by the results of a study that compared the opening to this product in three continents (Europe, Asia and the Americas) it does not seem likely that in Italy there is a race to hoard.
The authors of the study, just published in the journal PLoS One, conducted an online survey involving a sample of about 3,000 people living in Belgium, Italy, China, Mexico and the United States. Entomophagy, i.e. the consumption of insects, is differently rooted in various areas of the globe: it is common in Africa and Southeast Asia, but practically unknown in Western countries. In Mexico it is widely practiced in indigenous rural communities, while in urbanized areas edible insects are considered «exotic curiosities». If in the rest of the world entomophagy is increasing, in China, where entomophagy has been practiced for millennia and even snacks made with insects and a sort of tea made from fermented insects are consumed, due to lifestyle changes due to globalization this practice is decreasing.The purpose of the survey was to understand the attitude of the participants: did they consider the possibility of introducing into their usual diet (not just tasting them to take away curiosity) the larvae of the flour or products that contained them?
The responses showed that men are more likely to consume than women. Not surprisingly, the level of acceptance was higher in countries with a tradition of entomophagy (Mexico and China) than in others. Where there was no tradition, young people (under 42) had a greater openness towards foods containing larvae meal. In general, in fact, the consumption of products in which insects were «masked», mixed with other ingredients, was more accepted than the consumption of larvae in their original form.
The importance of information
About half of the participants were provided with a text that contained a brief description of the benefits offered by the use of insects as a food source and the nutritional and safety aspects, information extracted from a report of the 2021 FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).In countries with little acceptance of the idea of introducing flour larvae into the diet, those who received information about it were significantly more favorable to the consumption of foods containing processed larvae (but not larvae as such) than those who did not receive information material.
Among those considered, Italy was the country most hostile to the introduction of flour larvae, as such or processed, in its diet. 75% of Italians and 85% of Italians replied that they would not accept to introduce flour larvae as such into their diet, 12% of Italians and 8% of Italians who perhaps would have accepted it and the rest of the sample who could have accepted it. The percentages increased – they were respectively 57% (M) and 65% (F), 20% (M) and 18% (F) and 23% (M) and 17% (F) – if processed foods (bars, pasta, hamburgers …) containing larvae flour were proposed.
Nutritional properties
Edible insects are being watched with increasing interest because the dizzying increase in the world population poses a serious problem of food resources.Insect production is more sustainable, in terms of soil and water consumption, than traditional farming. The nutritional composition varies from insect to insect, but in general these animals are rich in protein, fiber and healthy fatty acids. They contain good levels of micronutrients (e.g. iron, zinc, selenium), although there is not much information on the bioavailability of these micronutrients. Edible insects also contain B vitamins. It will be important to use products whose origin is traceable and offers guarantees of safety, as the levels of contaminants depend on the concentration of these substances in the insect food.
However, the consumption of insects and insect products may not be suitable for everyone. For example, according to EFSA scientific opinion (European Food Safety Authority), food supplements containing larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (this is the scientific name of flour larvae) can induce sensitization and allergic reactions in subjects with allergy to crustaceans and dust mites.Insect-based foods may also contain other allergens that result from the diet of these animals. The allergenicity of the product must therefore be reported on the label.
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Source — https://www.univadis.it/viewarticle/gli-italiani-sono-pronti-mangiare-insetti-2023a100015b