Nutritional Evaluation of Terrestrial Invertebrates as Traditional Food in Amazonia1 |
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Authors: | Stefania Marconi Pamela Manzi Laura Pizzoferrato Erika Buscardo Hugo Cerda Danilo Lopez Hernandez Maurizio G. Paoletti |
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Affiliation: | National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Roma, Italy;Padova University, Department of Biology, 35100 Padova, Italy;Simon Rodriguez University, Caracas 1041–A, Venezuela;Tropical Zoology Department, Facultad de Ciencias, Universitad Central, Caracas, Venezuela;Padova University, Department of Biology, 35100 Padova, Italy |
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Abstract: | In tropical areas worldwide, more than 1000 terrestrial species of invertebrates are used as food. For populations of Amazonian areas, different species of insects and other invertebrates serve as nourishing food sources. Here, we document the composition and nutritional quality of some invertebrates consumed in Venezuelan Amazonia, including termites (Isoptera) and earthworms (Glossoscolecidae) eaten by the Ye'Kuana (Makiritare) and caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) consumed by the Yanomamo. Consumption of 100 g of any of these invertebrates contributed 1.2–9.4 percent of the daily fat requirement and 26–144 percent of the protein daily requirement for an adult male. The sample of caterpillars regularly eaten by these peoples was rich in beta carotene (provitamin A), and a 100 g ingestion guaranteed 323 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. The greatest amount of alpha tocopherol was provided by the consumption of the smoked earthworms (36.7%). Earthworms and termites contained high levels of sterols, mainly cholesterol. The consumption of these animals by tropical human populations represents not only an important traditional habit but also, considering their nutritional composition, a substantial contribution to the human diet. |
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Keywords: | Amazon nutritional value proximate composition terrestrial invertebrates Venezuela. |
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