Editoriale n. 27: un 'idea per nutrire il mondo e cambiare
mentalità
Paoletti M.G., (Ed.) Ecological
implications of minilivestock. Role of Insects, Frogs
and Snails for sustainable development. Science Publishers,
Inc.Enfield (NH), Plymouth, UK, 2005. (Pag. 608, 16 tavole
a colori, $97,50). Riportiamo le recensioni del libro
del professor Maurizio G. Paoletti del Dipartimento di
Biologia dell'Università di Padova. Tale libro,
oltre che un suggerimento è un prezioso monito
per aiutare il mondo a sopravvivere all'attacco della
peggior specie predatoria esistente: l'uomo.
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