Browsing by Author "Grabowski, Nils Th."

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    Edible insects in Africa in terms of food, wildlife resource, and pest management legislation
    (2020) Grabowski, Nils Th.; Tchibozo, Séverin; Abdulmawjood, Amir; Acheuk, Fatma; M’Saad Guerfali, Meriem; Sayed, Waheed A.A.; Plötz, Madeleine
    Entomophagy is an ancient and actually African tradition that has been receiving renewedattention since edible insects have been identified as one of the solutions to improve global nutrition.As any other foodstuff, insects should be regulated by the government to ensure product qualityand consumer safety. The goal of the present paper was to assess the current legal status of edibleinsects in Africa. For that, corresponding authorities were contacted along with an extensive onlinesearch, relying mostly on the FAOLEX database. Except for Botswana, insects are not mentionedin national regulations, although the definitions for “foodstuff” allow their inclusion, i.e., generalfood law can also apply to insects. Contacted authorities tolerated entomophagy, even though nolegal base existed. However, insects typically appear in laws pertaining the use of natural resources,making a permit necessary (in most cases). Pest management regulation can also refer to ediblespecies, e.g., locusts or weevils. Farming is an option that should be assessed carefully. All this createsa complex, nation-specific situation regarding which insect may be used legally to what purpose.Recommendations for elements in future insect-related regulations from the food hygiene point ofview are provided
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    Review: Insects—A Source of Safe and Sustainable Food?— “Jein” (Yes and No)
    (Frontiers Media, 2022) Grabowski, Nils Th.; Abdulmawjood, Amir; Acheuk, Fatma; Barragán Fonseca, Karol; Chhay, Ty; Costa Neto, Eraldo Medeiros; Ferri, Maurizio; Franco Olivas, Jonathan; González Aguilar, Delia Guillermina; Keo, Sath; Lertpatarakomol, Rachakris; Miech, Phalla; Piofczyk, Thomas; Proscia, Francesco; Mitchaothai, Jamlong; Guerfali, Meriem M'Saad; Sayed, Waheed; Tchibozo, Séverin; Plötz, Madeleine
    For almost a decade, edible insects have become promoted on a wider basis as one way to combat world hunger and malnourishment, although attempts to do so have a longer history. Contemporary researchers and consumers, particularly those without an entomophagous background, have been rising safety and sustainability concerns. The present contribution seeks a substantiated answer to the question posed above. The possible answer consists of different factors that have been taken into consideration. First, the species and its life cycle. It is mandatory to realize that what is labeled as “edible insects” stands for more than 2,140 animal species, not counting other edible, non-crustacean arthropods. Their life cycles are as diverse as the ecological niches these animals can fill and last between some days to several years and many of them may—or may not—be reproduced in the different farming systems. Second, the level of knowledge concerning the food use of a given species is important, be it traditional, newly created by research, or a combination of both. Third, the existence of a traditional method of making the use of the insect safe and sustainable, ideally from both the traditional and the modern points of view. Fourth, the degree of effectiveness of these measures despite globalization changes in the food-supplying network. Fifth, farming conditions, particularly housing, feeding (type, composition, and contaminants), animal health and animal welfare. Sixth, processing, transport, and storage conditions of both traditional and novel insect-based foodstuffs, and seventh, consumer awareness and acceptance of these products. These main variables create a complex web of possibilities, just as with other foodstuffs that are either harvested from the wild or farmed. In this way, food safety may be reached when proper hygiene protocols are observed (which usually include heating steps) and the animals do not contain chemical residues or environment contaminants. A varying degree of sustainability can be achieved if the aforementioned variables are heeded. Hence, the question if insects can be safe and sustainable can be answered with “jein,” a German portmanteau word joining “yes” (“ja”) and “no” (“nein”)