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The Role of Edible Insects in Diets and Nutrition in East Africa

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Edible Insects in Sustainable Food Systems

Abstract

Insects have been used as food, medicine and in rituals by a number of communities in the East African region comprising of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania over centuries. Progressively, farmed edible insects mainly crickets and grasshoppers are gaining popularity within the region. However the utilization of the edible insects is hampered by lack of storage and preservation facilities in the rural areas leading to high postharvest losses. Sun drying and roasting have been the main processing methods applied for decades by communities consuming edible insects such as the Luo from Kenya. Recently there has been incorporation of insects as an ingredient in processing of baked products and complementary foods. Culture, taboos, customs and ethnic preferences have highly influenced the consumption of edible insects in East Africa. Edible insects such as grasshoppers, mayfly and termites that are consumed in this region have been shown to be source of both macro and micro nutrients and other components such as chitin which has been linked to improved health and better management of chronic diseases. Therefore edible insects promises to be a part of the solution to food and nutrition security within the East African region.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya

    John N. Kinyuru, Dorothy Nyangena, Edwin Kamau, Alex Ndiritu, Joyce Muniu, Carolyne Kipkoech, Johnson Weru, Nancy Ndung’u & Mercy Mmari

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  1. John N. Kinyuru
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  2. Dorothy Nyangena
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  3. Edwin Kamau
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Correspondence to John N. Kinyuru .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Afton Halloran

  2. Nordic Food Lab, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Roberto Flore

  3. FAO, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy

    Paul Vantomme

  4. Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Nanna Roos

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Kinyuru, J.N. et al. (2018). The Role of Edible Insects in Diets and Nutrition in East Africa. In: Halloran, A., Flore, R., Vantomme, P., Roos, N. (eds) Edible Insects in Sustainable Food Systems . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74011-9_6

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