What is Entomophagy?
Derived from the Greek term éntomos, the word entomophagy refers to the eating of insects, arachnids and myriapods.
Derived from the Greek term éntomos, the word entomophagy refers to the eating of insects, arachnids and myriapods.
According to the United Nations there are approximately 1,462 species of recorded edible insects. That said, avoid eating brightly coloured, hairy or prickly insects and most caterpillars as they may all be poisonous. However, if you do find yourself in a survival situation remember these words: ‘Red, orange or yellow forget this fellow. Black, green or brown wolf it down’.
Individual taste buds vary but popular perception is that freeze-dried Crickets taste slightly nutty whilst dehydrated Queen Leafcutter Ants have a salty smoked bacon infused tone. Some insects have very little or no taste and are therefore ideally suited to seasoning.
Beetles are the most widely consumed insect globally but highly nutritious Mealworms are catching up as they’re inexpensive, easy to breed and when they reach the kitchen are simple to prepare and cook. Crickets and Silkworms are also very popular.
Insects are very nutritious, invariably high in protein and low in carbohydrates. The main components of insects are protein, fat and fibre. Nutritional properties vary according to the insect, their diet and environmental factors. A typical 100 g serving of freeze-dried European House Crickets contains:
Additionally most insects contain:
Our insects are prepared by either dehydration, freeze-drying, frying or boiling/pressure cooking.
In keeping with our mission statement our products have been conceived, sourced and produced following stringent criteria:
And as a business striving for perfection we’ll always endeavour to:
For most people eating correctly prepared/cooked insects causes little or no health hazard. That said, evidence relating to side effects or allergies is minimal as westernised populations are not generally accustomed to entomophagy (eating insects). However, should you be allergic to crustaceans we would recommend that you err on the side of caution and think twice before consuming a plate full of insects.
Crunchy Critters
9-10 Havelock Street
Ilkeston
Derby DE7 5RJ
United Kingdom
Tel: 03333 4444 67
Email: info@crunchycritters.com