Insects as sources of protein and long-chain fatty acids for entomophagy

Current sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids have become unsustainable. Livestock and farmed fish are fed unnatural diets in order to increase productivity and cut costs. This causes health problems for the animals and decreases the nutritional value of their meat. Meat from factory farms contains high concentrations of the omega-6, linoleic acid (LA) while lacking the omega-3, α-linolenic (ALA) acid. Aquaculture fish have less protein than wild-caught fish. Eating a diet with a high ratio of LA to ALA contributes to obesity and cardiovascular disease. Farming insects for entomophagy can be more cost effective than farming livestock or fish because insects require less water, feed, and space, have a much smaller carbon footprint and produce far less waste.The objective of this study is to determine which local insect species have the highest concentrations of protein and beneficial long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) along with the most balanced ratios of LCFAs. I compared the protein and long-chain fatty acid concentrations of six terrestrial insect species; Acheta domesticus (L.), Tenebrio mollitor (L.), Hermetia illucens (L.)., Reticulitermes flavipes (L.), Dissosteira carolina (L.), and Diestrammena japanica (Blatchley), and 4 aquatic insect species; Acroneuria abnormis (Newman), Rhyacophila carolina (Banks), Hydropsyche betteni (Ross), Brachycentrus numerous (Say) Say, to those of three ground beef samples; grain-fed, grass-fed, and grass-finished beef and four commercial fish samples; farm-raised and wild-caught Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (L.) and wild-caught European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (L.), and Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax (Jenyns). The 10 insect species evaluated represented insects of different natural diet, habitat, and insect phylogenetic positions. While this research is exploratory in nature, working hypotheses based on existing research are as follows: First; Termites eaten in Africa have very high protein concentrations; therefore the local species of termites, Reticulitermes flavipes is likely to also be high in protein. Second, Camel crickets can jump much higher than A. domesticus; therefore, the Japanese camel cricket, D. japanica is likely to have a higher protein concentration than A. domesticus due to larger and stronger muscles. Third; Graminivore insects such as the Carolina grasshopper, D. carolina are likely to have high concentrations of alpha-linolenic acid and a balanced ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids based on the comparison of beef raised on grass-only diets compared to beef rose on grain and soy diets. Fourth; Grasshoppers consume far more relative to their total body mass compared to cows; therefore D. carolina will likely have a similar ratio of LA to ALA to grass-finished beef, but with significantly higher concentrations of both fatty acids Fifth; Aquatic insects frequently consumed by oily fish are likely to have high concentrations of beneficial long-chain fatty acids. Sixth; Insects frequently consumed by fish are likely to have higher concentrations of protein than consumers. Seventh; Aquatic insects are likely to have balanced ratios of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids compared to non-graminivore terrestrial insects.The results of this study have supportive of all seven working hypotheses. This study has shown that insects have the potential to be major sources of protein and beneficial LCFAs.M.S.Includes bibliographical reference