Chefs and researchers incorporate insects, protein powerhouses into mainstream diet

BY ET CONTRIBUTORS | UPDATED: APR 23, 2017, 01.00 AM IST

By Avantika Bhuyan 

A bug protein shake, anyone? If all goes well, Arun Hazarika of Cotton University, Guwahati, would have one ready for you by the end of the year. A professor in the department of zoology, Hazarika has been working on 16 edible bugs, commonly consumed in the Baksa district of Assam. "I am trying to work on ways to extract the protein and mineral content of insects to create organic food products," he says. 

In Baksa, it is common to find termites, mole crickets, water scavengers, eri pupae, water beetles and junebugs in the kitchen, with the tribes transforming these into stirfries, roasts and chutneys. 

Taking a cue from their food habits, Hazarika and his team member, Jayanta Kumar Das of Barama College, began finding out more about the nutritional benefits of these insects, and ways in which they could be incorporated in mainstream diets. "In the course of the research, we found that these bugs have minerals such as cadmium, zinc, magnesium, iron and copper. So why not harness that into supplements and powders to be consumed regularly?" asks Hazarika. 

The United Nations has been making a case for entomophagy — using insects as food — for a very long time, with the Food and Agriculture Organisation working on the topic since 2003. 

In 2013, at the International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition, FAO released a publication, Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security, which envisaged a scenario of food scarcity and famine by 2050, with the world population growing to 9 billion. In such a situation, FAO suggested that edible insects — with 1,900 recorded species in the world — should be considered as a possible food source to ensure food security and improve resilience. 

Bug Bites 

Bugs are considered powerhouses of protein. According to Lovneet Batra, clinical nutritionist at Fortis La Femme, Delhi, 100 grams of bugs would yield 55 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat. "These are low in carbohydrates and are good for people watching weight or want to get fit," she says. They also contain some form of Omega 3 and 6 acids and have a healthy lipid profile, thus serving as an attraction for fitness enthusias.

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