larva in Burkina Faso Entomophagy is scientifically described as widespread among non-human primates and common among many human communities. The eggs, larvae,
pupae, and adults of certain
insects have been eaten by humans from prehistoric times to the present day. Around 3,000
ethnic groups practice entomophagy. Human insect-eating (anthropo-entomophagy) is common to cultures in most parts of the world, including
Central and
South America,
Africa,
Asia,
Australia, and
New Zealand. Eighty percent of the world's nations eat insects of 1,000 to 2,000 species.
FAO has registered some 1,900
edible insect species and estimates that there were, in 2005, some two billion insect consumers worldwide. FAO suggests eating insects as a possible solution to
environmental degradation caused by
livestock production. While these products are increasingly available, recent research suggests that insect-based foods are unlikely to significantly replace traditional meat. Only a small minority of consumers would consider replacing meat with insects. In the US and Europe, where insects are not traditionally eaten, cultural barriers and disgust limit adoption, leading most companies to focus on the animal feed market. In some societies, primarily
western nations, entomophagy is uncommon or
taboo. Today, insect eating is uncommon in North America and Europe, but insects remain a popular food elsewhere, and some companies are trying to introduce
insects as food into
Western diets. A recent analysis of Google Trends data showed that people in Japan have become increasingly interested in entomophagy since 2013. ==See also==