Cricket flour

Cricket flour, also known as cricket powder, is a type of "flour" made from ground up crickets. Cricket flour differs from true flours made from grains by being composed mainly of protein rather than starches and dietary fiber.[1]

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, insects such as crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers are nutritional powerhouses. They are high in protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals.[2][3] NPR’s The Salt, states that “at 12.9 grams of protein per 100 grams, crickets have about half the protein of chicken and beef, which each contain about 25 grams of protein per 100 grams of meat.[4]" Humans have always consumed crickets and other edible insects, and in countries such as Mexico and the Philippines, a more fully developed insect cuisine can be found. [2]

Sustainability and Food Security

Not only are insects highly nutritious, but products such as cricket flour have been noted to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of protein. Since crickets reproduce quickly, are easy to maintain and don’t require huge farm lots, cricket flour is a product that is simple to produce and thus is an inexpensive and sustainable way to feed the world’s growing population.[2] Essentially, edible insect consumption has been argued as a feasible answer to the question, “Will there be enough food to feed 9 billion people by the year 2050?”

See also

References

  1. ↑ Aaron T. Dossey, Juan A. Morales-Ramos, M. Guadalupe Rojas, ed. (2016). Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients: Production, Processing and Food Applications. Academic Press. ISBN 9780128028926.
  2. 1 2 3 Huis, Arnold Van (2013). "Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Charles (February 24, 2015). "Cricket Nutrition". CricketFlours. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  4. ↑ McCall, Alexander (August 15, 2014). "Startups Pitch Cricket Flour As The Best Protein You Could Eat". NPR. Retrieved April 12, 2017.


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