Many person across the world use Non Vegetable foods and Insects as food as Daily Habit. Is it advisable? If all turns into vegetable foods as habit, then Is it creat crisis for vegetable foods?
Hello Dr. Patel,
Food habit is a most sensitive issue for human being which human mostly derive from pre-generations. There is a long history and rationale for originating specific food types of each nation and community. As a student of Food Science, I like to emphasize the importance of food for obtaining nutrition to regulate normal body function rather than taste and aesthetic view. But, there is an extra importance of food selection, that we cannot ignore, i.e., religious permit basis.
Considering nutritional point of view, it may be a problem if everybody becomes vegetarian. It may create crisis supplementing necessary nutrition for whole world people. There should be drastic alterations in food production systems that may cause threat to the whole world people. At present, insect feeding people are increasing due to taste and nutritional points of view but many nations/ community raise voice against this for aesthetic or religious issues.
Some arthropods as shrimps, crab, lobsters are high-demand, expensive foods. So, 'disgust factor', that prevents mass consumption of arthropods is selective.
The real problem is that the chitin, tropomyosins, serine protease etc. in the arthropods are highly immunogenic to some humans (depending on their enzymes and receptors). These allergens can manipulate human actin, leading to urticaria, edema, asthmatic conditions.These atopic people certainly should not consume the insects, as peanut allergic persons should not eat peanuts.
I believe that eating habits are strongly related to the culture, as an example, I worked on edible worms proteins two years ago. I tasted the dried worms and they tasted like peanuts. The project was for a Malaysian student. The student said that it is acceptable to eat insects in Malaysia.
On the other hands, we are not sure what sort of allergic effects might be produced for different nations such as in USA and Europe.
i have comment on this is eating vegetable exclusive may be culture and habit in some parts of the world but the good thing is does eating worms of insects only have adequate amounts of nutrients and energy? . therefore, every food selection should be based on supply of adequate nutrients for growth, health and development of Feeding oneself and one’s offspring
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