Peer review

Seventy-eight species of edible insects, representing twenty-three families from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, were analyzed for nutrient composition. They include the orders of Anoplura, Diptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. The dry basis protein content ranged from 15 to 81%. The highest was found in a wasp of the genusPolybia.Fat content ranged from 4.2% (several grasshopper species:Boopedon flaviventris, Sphenarium sp., Melanoplus mexicanus) to 77.2% in the larvae of a butterflyPhasus triangularis.The insect richest in carbohydrates was the antMyrmecosistus melligerwith 77.7%. The amino acid profile of the studied insects compares with the preschooler and adult requirements indicated in 1985 by the F.A.O. and the W.H.O. Their protein chemical score (corresponding to the capacity for fulfilling the requirement of the most limiting essential amino acid) ranged from 46 to 96%; in a few cases there were deficiences of tryptophan and lysine. Protein digestibility varied between 76 and 98% for the species analyzed. The caloric contribution varied from 293 to 762 kcal/100 g, the highest value also being for the butterfly larvae ofPhasus triangularis.Constituting a significant component of the diet of some rural communities in Oaxaca, consumption parameters vary depending on the species, season, habitat, climate, and biotope. Eaten daily in some regions, insects are roasted, fried, or incorporated into a ragout dish, generally in the immature stage. Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) are preferred for consumption.

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