Јестиви инсекти - безбедна храна за људе и домаће животиње

Abstract

Инсекти спадају у групу најуспешнијих организама на планети пре свега због специфичне грађе и величине тела, високог репродук- ционог потенцијала и способности адаптације. Они су нуклеус развоја свих копнених и слатководних станишта и омогућавају опстанак живота на Земљи. Као полинатори имају пресудну улогу у опстанку многих биљака, спречавају наго- милавање органске материје у природи, чине важне делове у ланцима исхране али исто тако могу да поједу 25% бруто националног дохотка у земљама у раз- воју, а само комарци (најопасније животиње на свету), преношењем патогена, годишње „убијају“ 725 000 људи. Међутим, огромни благотворни потенцијал ових организама само је малим делом искоришћен. Инсекти представљају бо- гат извор протеина и других корисних материја за развој човека и животиња. Пораст светске популације људи ће несумњиво изазвати повећану продукцију хране, што ће неизбежно угрозити већ лимитиране ресурсе за њену производњу (земљиште, вода, ђубриво и енергија). Ентомофагија (исхрана инсектима) може бити једно од решења проблема предвиђене несташице хране, те се све чешће предлаже коришћење инсеката за исхрану људи, стоке, кућних љубимаца и риба. Организација за пољопривреду и храну Уједињених нација (FAO) је почетком века почела са промовисањем употребе инсеката у исхрани која је у неким раз- вијеним земљама (Холандија) већ добро прихваћена. До сада се у индустријским постројењима масовно и успешно гаје врсте Hermetia illucens, Musca domestica, Tenebrio molitor и Acheta domesticus. Гајење инсеката у ове сврхе је вишеструко корисно јер осим продукције хране може да реши проблем уклањања органс- ког отпада и отпуштања гасова стаклене баште, продукције ђубрива и фарма- цеутских производа и допринесе уштеди енергије и развоју предузетништва. За практичну примену ове идеје у Србији потребно је подстаћи примењена истраживања и подићи ниво знања о сакупљању и могућностима гајења ових организама. Молестанти као што су комарци, муве, хирономиде, штеточине у пољопривредној и шумарској производњи и поред честих масовних појава и биомасе коју том приликом продукују још увек нису искоришћени у нашој земљи.

This paper describes the contribution of insects to food security and survey future prospects for raising insects at a commercial scale to improve food and feed production, diversify diets, and support livelihoods in both developing and developed countries. It indicatеs some traditional and potential uses of insects for direct human consumption and the opportunities for and constraints to farming them for food and feed. The concept of sustainable diets, with biodiversity and at its core, has recently received renewed attention as the world struggles with many natural and man-made disasters. Sustainable diets are those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources [222]. Edible insects have always been a part of human diets. Although the majority of consumed insects are gathered in forest habitats, mass-rearing systems are being developed in many countries. Insects offer a significant opportunity to merge traditional knowledge and modern science to improve human food security worldwide. However, the urbanization has led to new human bahaviour that is far from natural resources and distant to the wild environment. Additionally, in some societies there is a degree of distaste for inscts consumption that further developed a standstill of the grasshopers in the Nile vally (Amar, 2003). Although the majority of edible insects are gathered from forest habitats, innovation in mass-rearing systems has begun in many countries. Insects offer a significant opportunity to merge traditional knowledge and modern science in both developed and developing countries. Edible insects as food fit comfortably within this environmentally sound scenario and, by extension, ought to be considered prime candidates as both food staples and supplements, as well as more generally for their role in sustainable diets. Sustainability of food and agriculture activities upon which 2.4 billion people depend for livelihoods was considered a key driver in the transition towards a green economy, due to its dual positive impact on ecosystem services and poverty alleviation [222, 229]. Recent studies confirm that the insects are potentially an important energy efficient source of protein for humans, either through a direct consumption or as food supplements for stock. The high protein content is an indication that the insects can be of value in man and animal ration and can eventually replace higher animal protein usually absent in the diet of rural dwellers in developing countries [87]. The protein content varies by species of insects, but generally is of a good quality and high digestibility [48]. Analyses showed that in egg, larva, pupa and adult stages, the raw protein content is generally 15–81% / dry basis. With a daily growing world population, there are now more than 3.7 billion people suffering from malnutrition, mainly due to lack of protein and energy from food. Associated with the declining availability of land, water and energy resources per capita [35], we need to conserve and manage these resources to produce more food. Animal husbandry competes for these vital resources, as the land is occupied by the production of feed and cannot be used to produce food for humans [18]. Livestock production is very expensive because it requires a large input of water, grain and fodder as well as human effort and energy from fossil resources [35]. Utilization of insects as a protein source could benefit insect conservation through habitat protection [18]. Insects are essential agents feeding on organic matter in nature, and they efficiently exploit all organic sources. It is also important that insects are able to recycle organic waste and provide nutrients for farm animals [1, 179, 191]. Hence, insects could be used as efficient biotransformers to convert abundant, low cost organic wastes into animal biomass rich in proteins and suitable for use in animal nutrition. In a world as it is today, insects can contribute to human nutrition. Raising insects using waste biomass is already being implemented and managed today, with minimal infrastructure. Furthermore, insect culture requires little areas. Many of the edible insect species do not compete with human beings for food resources. The energetic cost of collecting edible insects is lower than that for vertebrates. Hence, insects may efficiently provide the necessary energy for the vital functions of our organism. Some species of edible insects have mostly the polyunsaturated fat type, as they feed on vegetables with largely unsaturated fats [1]. Mostly, the fat content of edible insects is between 10–50%. The fat content of insects depends on many factors such as species, reproductive stages, season, age (life stage), or sex, habitat and diet. For example, the fat content is higher in the larva and pupa stages; at the adult stage, the fat content is relatively lower. Female insects contain more fat than male insects. As a general statement it could be said that insects are not inferior to other sources of protein such as fish, chicken or beef. Insects can partly replace the increasingly expensive protein ingredients of compound feeds in the livestock, poultry and aquaculture industries. Grains now used as livestock feed, which often comprise half the cost of meat production, could then be used for human consumption [182]. In 2011, combined world feed production was estimated at 870 million tonnes, with revenue from global commercial feed manufacturing generating approximately US$350 billion globally. FAO estimates that production will have to increase by 70 percent to be able to feed the world in 2050, with meat outputs (poultry, pork and beef) expected to double [19]. A major constraint to further development are the prohibitive costs of feed, including meat meal, fishmeal and soybean meal, which represent 60–70 percent of production costs. Another problem is manure disposal, which is becoming a serious environmental problem; large amounts of manure to be stockpiled in open-air, swarming with flies and potential human health hazards. It is striking to realize that the agricultural sector is the leading cause of human-induced climate change. Roughly one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions are due to agriculture, if we include the carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation (mainly to clear land for farming and pasture), energy use in agriculture (including the production of chemical fertilizers), methane released by ruminant livestock and rice paddies, and nitrous oxide released by the heavy use of nitrogen fertilizers. We will need new technologies, and new patterns of food consumption, based on healthier and more sustainable diets [20]. There is a wealth of traditional and cultural knowledge on the uses of edible insects as food in tropical countries, yet production is largely concentrated in household and small-scale operations. In temperate countries, processing technology is virtually nonexistent because edible insects are not recognized food and feed sources. If insects are to become a useful and profitable raw material in the food and feed industries, large quantities of quality insects will need to be produced on a continuous basis. This requires both introducing new farming and processing methods, which remains a challenge for the development of the sector. However, major requirements are rearing practices in tropical countries should employ local species because they pose virtually no risk to the environment, there is no need for climate control, and such local species are likely to be more culturally accepted. Selection criteria should involve ease of rearing, taste, colour and whether they can be used as feed. In temperate zones, cosmopolitan species like the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) should be used, or those that do not pose environmental risks. Species destined for mass production, moreover should possess certain characteristics, including a high intrinsic rate of increase; a short development cycle; high survival of immatures and high oviposition rate; a high potential of biomass increase per day (i.e. weight gain per day); a high conversion rate (kg biomass gain per kg feedstock); the ability to live in high densities (kg biomass per m2); and low vulnerability to disease (high resistance). Good candidates were considered to be the black soldier fly (Hermetia illuscens) for feed and the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) for both food and feed [1]. Additionally, insect animal feed developed from manure and related organic waste streams raises bacteriological, mycological and toxicological concerns. The polarity of views surrounding the practice of entomophagy requires tailor-made communication approaches. In parts of the world where entomophagy is well established, such as the tropics, communication strategies need to promote and preserve edible insects as valuable sources of nutrition in order to counter the growing westernization of diets. In areas where food security is fragile, edible insects need to be promoted as key foods and feeds for nutritional, cultural and economic reasons. However, Western societies still largely averse to the practice of eating insects will require tailored strategies that address the disgust factor and break down common myths surrounding the practice. In general, education is the key instrument for creating public awareness of the potential roles of insects and in influencing consumer choices towards a more balanced and favourable outlook on insects as food and feed. Research on the contribution of edible insects to nutrition and economy, on insect species’ biology and ecology has to be implemented in projects on sustainable agriculture/food. Additionally, addressing the entomophagy disgust factor in Western societies might depend largely on the ability to involve the entire educational community. The past decade, however, has seen a slow but steady rise in food insects in formal education. As of the end of 2011, 46 percent of the universities in the United States – the main food and agricultural universities in the country – had at least one course in their curricula that featured food insects. In the Netherlands, the Laboratory of Entomology at Wageningen University offers “insects and society” courses including entomophagy. The Laboratory has an outstanding reputation in multitrophic interactions, biological control, malaria vector research and entomophagy, and draws worldwide attention to the issue of entomophagy. The objective is to explore the potential sustainable production of edible insects and insect-derived products, particularly proteins, as a reliable and high-quality food source with a lower negative environmental impact than conventional meat production. Governmental bodies have important roles to play in promoting insects as food and feed. In particular, the development of this new sector as a viable (and environmentally friendly) alternative to the conventional food and feed. Experts from international agencies, scientific institutions and private-sector stakeholders, together with staff from relevant FAO sectors created webportal on edible insects since 2010. It provides basic information on the use and potential of edible insects as well as relevant weblinks, such as to the proceedings of the conferences, information on the Expert Consultation Meetings and other relevant technical information, videos and media coverage. The address of the webportal is www.fao.org/forestry/edibleinsects. In developed countries, insect rering occurs mainly on family-operated farms. Presently, there are only a few large-scale industrial plans that rear insects. The most common insects that were collected or reared within Europe are: Acheta domesticus, Bombyx mori, Galleria mellonella, Gryllus assimillis, Hermetia illucens, Locusta migratoria, Musca domestica, Schistocerca gregaria, T. molitor and Zophobas atratus [225]. The H. illucens reperesent the species of good rearing potential because it substantially reduce biowaste and house fly breeding and additionally can be used as animal food [226]. Except this invasive species, few native species as grass hopers, crickets, and mealworms, are significant source of proteins. A number of species in Serbia are highly abundant and pose a molesting problem. This is a case with flood water mosquitoes, insects of Chironomidae family and house flies. Resarch on their mass production as potential food source for house pets, animals or as a part of organic fertilazers could support a small scale of organic farming production in rural regions. Additionally, it should not be forgotten that some of the species have important impact in waste decomposition, hence create additional value to the family-operated farms. Insect rearing is easy, does not require much of technical knowledge nor high investments, therefore accessable to a majority of rural inhabitants of a law income. The production and consumption of insects should also be analysed from the viewpoint of their potential impact on health and biodiversity and the potential environmental hazards associated with insect production and release, including the accidental release of insect species not indigenous to the area of production. People, especially in areas where insects were not consumed for a long time, prefer incorporating insects into the food in a way they are not visible, so they accept only the idea that the insects have a nutritional value. This shows that people especially in North America and Europe can eat insects if they do not know what they are eating.These factors suggest that insect transformation will facilitate its consumption in the future. In practice, dried insects may be crushed or pulverized, and raw or boiled insects ground or mashed, making their insect form unrecognizable [9]. Much work still needs to be done and many issues taken into account when elaborating normative frameworks and adjusting for insect-inclusive food laws. At the Expert FAO Meeting in 2012, therefore, a working group developed the following proposals for elaborating regulatory frameworks [59]. Private and public standards may establish the basis of harmonized regulatory practices on the use of insects as food and feed. Legal frameworks should be developed to consolidate and set binding provisions and to ensure the implementation and enforcement of such provisions throughout the sector. It is necessary to promote the establishment of appropriate international and national standards and legal frameworks to facilitate the use of insects as food and feed and the development and formalization of the sector. It is also very important to take into consideration the potential effects of insect production and rearing on the environment, and the environmental and trade implications of the international movement of insects. Develop a clear and comprehensive legal framework at the (inter-) national level that can pave the way for production and trade in insect products for food and feed internationally. In the Western world, consumer acceptability will be determined, in large part, by pricing, perceived environmental benefits, and the development by the catering industry of tasty insect-derived protein products. Preservation and processing techniques are needed to increase shelf life, conserve quality and increase the acceptability of insect food products; processing procedures are also needed to transform insects into protein meal for animal/fish feedstock and for the extraction of insect proteins to be used as ingredients in the food industry. Considering the immense quantities of insect biomass needed to replace current protein-rich ingradients such as meal and oil from fish and soybeans, automated massrearing facilities that produce stable, reliable and safe products need to be developed. The challenge for this new industry will be to ensure the cost-effective, reliable production of an insect biomass of high and consistent quality. Regulatory frameworks need to be developed. The close collaboration of government, industry and academia will be essential for success.