Editoriale n. 27: un 'idea per nutrire il mondo e cambiare mentalità

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di Federico De Nardi

"In un divertente film di alcuni anni fa, ambientato in Australia, il protagonista, un bianco nativo di quel continente e cresciuto presso una comunità di aborigeni, si avvaleva delle proprie conoscenze in materia di alimentazione per fare colpo su una avvenente giornalista americana, sua compagna di avventure. Posta di fronte ad una foglia riccamente guarnita di larve di insetti, bruchi di farfalla e vermi di terra, facendo buon viso a cattiva sorte, la giovane donna si apprestava a cibarsi del succulento pasto, se non fosse stato per la scatoletta di carne prontamente offertale dall'aborigeno di adozione che, rassicurandola, indicava quelle cibarie come l'ultima risorsa per sopravvivere nel deserto.

Riflettendo a distanza di anni su quella che poteva sembrare la parodia di una cultura decadente, si riscopre oggi l'inaspettata importanza della questione, alla luce dell'interessante volume curato da Paoletti e collaboratori. Nell'agiatezza della società occidentale, non ci poniamo certo il problema della disponibilità delle risorse globali per l'alimentazione umana. E invece si apprende che sono circa tre miliardi nel mondo le persone che soffrono di carenze alimentari per mancanza di calorie, proteine, vitamine e sali minerali fondamentali come iodio e ferro. L'incremento della popolazione mondiale, al tasso attuale di crescita, raddoppierà nel giro di mezzo secolo. D'altro canto si rileva che delle circa 15 milioni di specie animali e vegetali presenti sul globo, solo una quindicina sono quelle coltivate e solo otto quelle allevate a sostegno del 90% delle riserve alimentari dell'uomo.

Forse la soluzione del problema sta proprio nella succulenta foglia del nostro amico aborigeno? Prendendo sul serio l'argomento, Paoletti e collaboratori, nel loro compendio sullo stato delle conoscenze e degli usi alimentari alternativi, e non solo, propongono di seguire la strada che conduce ad una rivalutazione dei minilivestock, i piccoli animali tradizionalmente utilizzati nell'alimentazione di molti popoli delle regioni tropicali, per incrementare la diversità delle specie che costituiscono la fonte di cibo per l'uomo.

L'utilizzo di piccoli animali come cibo, recuperando e diffondendo l'immenso patrimonio di conoscenze che le culture nei vari angoli della terra conservano ancora intatte, attraverso i secoli di storia, potrebbe rappresentare la chiave di volta per la soluzione di problemi alimentari che, nonostante tutto, affliggono l'umanità. Una risorsa presumibilmente più appropriata e sostenibile. I minilivestock comprendono in questo volume artropodi, vermi, molluschi, anfibi, piccoli roditori e rettili. Questa comunità di organismi può costituire una biomassa in grado di competere con le tradizionali scorte alimentari rappresentate dal bestiame di grossa taglia, decuplicando le rese a parità di estensione. Gli artropodi possono ad esempio superare di dieci volte il peso del bestiame allevato in un ettaro di terra, i vermi fino a trenta volte. La strategia per combattere le future carenze alimentari andrà quindi ricercata nel diversificare e aumentare le risorse di cibo rispetto a quelle attuali legate ai cereali. Diffondere la conoscenza dei piccoli animali come strategia per uno sviluppo sostenibile, questo l'obbiettivo del volume curato da Paoletti, che raccoglie esperienze di ricercatori provenienti dai cinque continenti, affrontando non solo gli aspetti legati all'uso alimentare delle più varie forme viventi, ma anche cogliendo interessanti aspetti legati alle proprietà curative di molte specie.

All'interno dei trenta capitoli e delle oltre 600 pagine di cui è composto il testo sono racchiuse le tecniche, le conoscenze e i segreti di un patrimonio culturale che rischiano di cadere nell'oblio e che invece può fornire un prezioso contributo alla soluzione di problemi alimentari dei prossimi decenni, specie in quei popoli che, adeguandosi al meccanismo perverso della nostra società consumistica, rischiano di perdere di vista le proprie origini e le proprie fondamentali risorse. Questa conoscenza deve anche divenire patrimonio conoscitivo di tutti i consumatori, anche occidentali"

Il volume può essere richiesto a: NBN International, Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, UK (01752) 202301; Fax: (01752) 202331; E-mail: orders@nbnplymbridge.com.

Review appears in: 2005. Megadrilogica 10(9): 73-74.

Paoletti, M.G. 2005. Ecological Implications of Minilivestock - Potential of Insects, Rodents, Frogs and Snails. Enfield, NH: Science Publishers, Inc., xiv + 648 pp., 10 pl. (C$110.50 approx.)

Although I have had considerable interest in the study of insects and earthworms, and consumed my fair share of snails, and less frequently frogs' legs, I never really gave much thought to using these animals as a food source for the masses. This informative and well documented book opened my eyes to a potential solution to the world's food depletion due to the ever increasing global population explosion. It may be hard to believe that of the 15 million plants, animals and microbes on Earth, more than 90% of the world's food supply comes from just 15 crop species and eight livestock species. It is obvious; to augment the human food supply it is necessary to increase the diversity of plant and animal species we use as food.

Maurizio Paoletti has brought together 40 scientists from every continent who are specialists in their respective fields. Their informative articles are found in 29 chapters. Each chapter includes an abstract, key words, specific examples and relevant data with a current reference section.

The subtitle lists insects, rodents, frogs and snails, but this book has a much wider scope, and includes earthworms4, spiders5, scorpions6, centipedes7, Crustaceans8, millipedes9, etc. Insects utilized in this fashion are more extensive than I first imagined. While collecting in South Africa10 and Swaziland11 years ago, we came across natives preparing dishes of caterpillars by biting off the heads, pulling out the innards and tossing only that portion into a pot. What was surprising in this book was to see the long list of insect Orders whose species are used as a food source.12 One usually thinks only of ants, beetles, caterpillars, etc., commonly referred to as "bush tucker" by the Australian aborigines. A closer examination of world insect consumption shows that more than 2000 edible species have been identified to date13, although this is stated to be under-reported14, and continued research will increase this number considerably. At least half the insect orders12 have been utilized as a food source.

Why are insects so important? Ramos-Elorduy in her chapter (14) presents an extensive list of important insect characteristics15. It is because of these characteristics that insects are a promising food source. Also, the magnitude and diversity of potential food sources from insects is the greatest among the species of this group of animals. It is surprising to learn that insects are consumed in at least 102 countries around the world, with the greatest number in Africa (35) followed by the Americas (23), Asia (18), Australia (14), and Europe (12).16 Man's track record on habitat and species destruction makes it essential that international laws are put in place to regulate and standardize the exploitation and commercialization of edible insect species throughout the world.

Considerable space is given to the discussion of the nutritional value of the minilivestock species. Several authors discuss these important sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, lipids, fats, etc. to be derived from a diet of these animals.17 Western societies have an aversion to eating insects for a variety of reasons, but primarily because insects and other arthropods are associated with dirt, disease, parasitism, and poisonous stings or bites. Any consumption of these critters by Westerners is frequently done only out of curiosity. An educated public, made aware of the information contained within this book, should in future change that perception.

Insects receive most of the attention in this book, since 17 of 29 chapters are directly related to insects, yet insects are featured in a couple of others as well.18 I could not omit mention of the two chapters which deal with earthworms.19 Chapter 25 deals with the nutritive value of earthworms. The author's nomenclature is dated, but the information is useful. The discussion centres on using earthworms as a protein source for animal and human consumption. A significant conclusion is that Eisenia foetida could be an excellent source of both protein and minerals in human diets, (p. 501). This is fortunate, as this is one of a few species which can and is currently successfully mass reared. The next chapter (26), deals with the use of earthworms as pharmaceuticals. This takes me back to some research I did in 1971,20 which is cited on page 506 in this book. Clinical applications of earthworms have been recorded in detail for treatment of numerous diseases, 29 of which are expanded upon in this chapter. Although most of this book is devoted to utilizing these animals as a food source, chapters 22, 24 and 26 are devoted to using these animals as medicine. Medical research into the benefits of employing insects and other forms of minilivestock will receive more attention in the future in seeking cures for a wide variety of diseases, including significant maladies such as cancer.21

Others chapters deal with rodents22, frogs23 and snails24. Rodent production as a food source in Africa faces a number of challenges before it can be offered as an alternative to "bushmeat". The authors illustrate their case very well. The second chapter on Rodents (4) employs an example of indigenous communities in South America. This case follows the project, and the follow-up four years after its termination, illustrating the long-time sustainability which increases food security in the countries studied.

The decrease in wild frog populations and the increase in demand for them means that the emerging research and technology relating to frog breeding are anxiously awaited. The author presents a good review of all aspects of frog breeding and utilization.

Snails have been used as a food source for as long as humans can remember. The author is quick to point out that snail farming is not a means to cheap food production. Since wild snail collection accounts for 95+% of human consumption, the emphasis needs to be focussed on appropriate legislation and regulation.

An important aspect of the theme in Ecological Implications of Minilivestock is that identification of edible species is one thing, but mass rearing them as a sustainable food source vis-à-vis constantly collecting in the wild is another issue. The use of minilivestock is a long-standing tradition in many parts of the world. What this book does very well is bring this subject to the forefront for consideration by a much wider audience. This is accomplished by bringing together in one volume scientists with current data and specific examples of the various species under consideration as alternative food sources.

This book is well written and informative, and takes an extra step to continue the interaction between the authors and their readers. The author's postal address and e-mail address are included at the beginning of each chapter so readers have easy access to them for continued dialogue.

Paoletti's book, Ecological Implications of Minilivestock is certainly "food" for thought!

1 M.Sc. (1969, Purdue University, Entomology, Genetics and Plant Breeding).
2 Ph.D. (1973, University of Tennessee, Ecology, Oligochaete Systematics and Soil Science).
3 When you call them escargot, the price goes up and only the affluent have access.
4 Paoletti, Ecological Implications of Minilivestock, chapters 25, 26.
5 ibid., chapter 19.
6 ibid., chapters 19 and 24.
7 ibid., chapter 24.
8 ibid., chapter 18.
9 ibid., chapter 19.
10 Reynolds, J.W. and A.J. Reinecke. 1977. A preliminary survey of the earthworms of the Kruger National Park, South Africa . . . . Wet. Bydraes, P.U. vir C.H.O. (B), No. 89, 19 pp.
11 Reynolds, J.W. 1993. On some earthworms from Swaziland . . . . Megadrilogica 5(1): 1-8.
12 Anisoptera, Anoplura, Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Neuroptera, Phthiraptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Thysanura (chapters 10, 14, 15, 16, 19 and 24).
13 Paoletti, supra, pp. 124, 263.
14 ibid., chapter 14.
15 ibid., p. 282.
16 ibid., p. 268.
17 ibid., chapters 14, 25 and 28.
18 ibid., e.g., chapters 15, 21 and 29.
19 ibid., chapters 25 and 26.
20 Reynolds, J.W. & W.M. Reynolds. 1972. Earthworms in Medicine. Amer. J. Nursing 72(7): 1273.
21 Paoletti, supra, chapter 24, pp. 483-489).
22 ibid., chapters 3 and 4.

Dr. John W. Reynolds
Oligochaetology Laboratory
18 Broadview Court
Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2A 2X8

A cura di Federico De Nardi