'Entopreneurs' Feed Appetite for Edible Insects Terence Chea - The Associated Press
go to original April 24, 2015

Mexico's taste for eating insects - originating from the Pre-Columbian era - could be the answer to ending hunger. United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is encouraging the production of edible insects to supplement diets in areas where malnutrition is rife and as a measure to combat obesity. (NTDTV)

An increasing number of "entopreneurs" are launching businesses to feed a growing appetite for crickets, mealworms and other edible insects.

These upstarts are trying to persuade more Americans to eat bugs, which can be produced with less land, food and water than other sources of animal protein.

The United Nations has been promoting edible insects as a way to improve nutrition, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and create jobs in insect production. At least 2 billion people worldwide already eat insects as part of their diet, according to the 2013 report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

But it could be a tough sell for Westerners who are more likely to squash bugs than savor them.

"Insects are viewed as what ruins food — a roach in your soup, a fly in your salad. That's the biggest obstacle — the ick factor," said Daniella Martin, the "Girl Meets Bug" blogger and author of "Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet."

Read the rest at Fosters.com

Related: Eating Insects Isn’t as Eco-Friendly as People Say (TIME)

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