Eating Insects FAQs

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:

• Calories: 458 kcal
• Fat: 18.5 g
• Protein: 69.1 g
• Carbohydrates: <0.5 g

Additionally most insects contain:

• High levels of phosphorous
• Substantial levels of macro-minerals – magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride
• Good sources of trace minerals – iron, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium
• Substantial levels of most B vitamins
• Low levels of vitamin E and calcium
• Small amounts of ash due to the lack of an internal skeleton

Our insects are prepared by either dehydration, freeze-drying, frying or boiling/pressure cooking.

• Dehydrated/roasted insects contain between 5-10% water and shrivel in size as their moisture content is removed through a continuous flow of hot air during a period of eight hours plus.
• Freeze-Dried insects contain around 2% water and retain their original colour, form, size, taste and texture. Moisture content is removed through the use of cold temperatures and since the food remains frozen during the process, the food’s cell structures do not change. It’s often noted that unseasoned freeze-dried insects taste far superior to unseasoned dehydrated/roasted insects. Freeze-dried insects also rehydrate quicker than dehydrated/roasted ones.
• Fried insects well need we say more. Possibly just pip freeze-dried insects in the taste test but not every-bodies preference given the higher fat content!

In keeping with our mission statement our products have been conceived, sourced and produced following stringent criteria:

• Minimal environmental impact
• Long-term sustainable food source
• High quality organic insects supplied by indigenous insect hunters and breeders
• Legally compliant products
• Comprehensive and clear labelling
• Exceed Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) and U.S. Food & Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) standards

And as a business striving for perfection we’ll always endeavour to:

• Promptly respond to all enquiries
• Provide first class customer service
• Offer competitively priced and innovative products
• Give our customers unbiased and straight talking advice
• Continually develop our product lines as supply and demand dictates
• Courteously rectify customer concerns, issues or complaints as soon as they are brought to our attention

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.