The nutritive value of 25 edible Orthoptera in Mexico is shown. Protein content ranges from 43.93% to 77.13% (mix of Edible Acrididade of Puebla). Fat percentage goes from 4.22% to 34.21%. Richest species in ashes were Arphia fallax S., Sphenarium histrio G. and Sphenarium purpurascens Ch. with 16.5%. Energy contribution varies from 14.05 kJ to 21.88 kJ. Their amino acids profile was compared with the WHO/FAO/UNU Pattern (1985). The total quantity of es-sential amino acids that all insects species provides was superior to those signaled in the pattern. The highest quantity (53.60 g) was for Sphenarium histrio G. Chemical score goes from 50% to 88%. In vitamins, the highest value in Thiamine and Riboflavine was for Sphenarium magnum M., in Niacine for Sphenarium borrei B., in vitamin C and for vitamin D Acheta domestica L., and in Vitamin A for Periplaneta americana L. In minerals, all species were very rich in magnesium. All the edible orthopterans results were compared with those of the most conventional mexican foods used to obtain proteins. The quantity and quality of the nutrients that these edible orthopterans allows, provides a significant contribution to the nutrition of the peasants who eat them.
E. Bergier, “Peuples Entomaphages et Insectes Comestibles,” Imprimerie Rulliére Fréres, Avignon, 1941.
F. S. Bodenheimer, “Insects as Human Food,” W. Junk Publishers, Hague, 1951.
J. Ramos-Elorduy and M. Conconi, “Edible Insects in the World (Liste des Speces. Lieux de Consommation et Ethnies qui les Consomment),” Fourth International Congress of Ethnobiology, Lucknow, 1994, p. 311.
P. Menzeland F. D’Aluisio, “Man eating Bugs,” Ten Speed Press, Berkely, 1998.
E. M. Costa Neto and J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Los Insectos Comestibles de Brasil: Etnicidad, Diversidad e Importancia en la Alimentación,” Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, Vol. 38, 2006, pp. 423-442.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “El Consumo de Insectos Como un Hábito Ancestral,” In: Ma. De J. Rodríguez-Shadow and B. Barba de Pi?a Chán, Eds., Chalchihuite (Homenaje a Doris Heyden), INAH, México, 1999, pp. 275-305.
F. B. de Sahagún, “Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva Espa?a,” Porrúa, México, 1975.
F. B. de Sahagún, “Códice Florentino,” Archivo General de la Nación, México, 1980.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Insects: A Sustainable Source of Food?” Ecology of Food and Nutrition, Vol. 36, 1997, pp. 247-276.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Insects: A hopeful food source”. In: G. M. Paoletti, Ed., Ecological Implications of Minilivestock (Potential of Insects, Rodents Frogs and Snails), Science Publishers, Inc., Plymouth, 2005, pp. 262-292.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Creepy Crawly Cusine: The Gourmet Guide to Edible Insects,” Park Street Press, Rochester, 1998.
B. C. W. Van der Waal, “The Importantce of Grasshoppers (Fam. Acrididae) as Traditional Food in Villages in Northern Transvaal, South Africa,” 4th International Congress of Ethnobiology Abstracts, Lucknow, 1994, p. 140.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. Pino M. and M. Conconi, “Ausencia de una Reglamentación y Normalización de la Explotación y Comercialización de Insectos Comestibles en México,” Folia Entomológica Mexicana, Vol. 45, No. 3, 2006, pp. 291-318.
J. C. Heymans and A. Evrard, “Contribution a L’etude de la Composition Alimentaire des Insectes Comestibles de la Province du Katanga (R.D.C.)” Problemes Sociaux du Congo, Vol. 90-91, 1970, pp. 333-340.
G. R. DeFoliart, “Insects as Source of Proteins,” Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America, Vol. 21, No. 3, 1975, pp. 161-163.
R. J. Phelps, J. K. Struthers and J. L. Moyo, “Investigations into the Nutritive Value of Macrotermes falciger (Isoptera-Termitidae)”. Zoologica Africana, Vol. 10, No. 2, 1975, pp. 123-132.
F. Malaisse and G. Parent, “Les Chenilles Comestibles du Shaba Meridional (Zaire),” Naturalistes Belges, Vol. 63, No. 1, 1980, pp. 2-24.
F. Malaisse, G. Parent. “Disponibilité des Produits Sauvages Comestibles de la Region Zambezienne: Ecologie et Valeur Alimentaire des Insectes et des Reptiles,” Abstracts International Symposium, Paris, 1991, p. 20.
S. V. Landry, G. R. DeFoliart and M. L. Sundae, “Larval Protein Quality of Six Species of Lepidoptera (Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Noctuidae),” Journal of Economic Entomology, Vol. 79, No. 3, 1986, pp. 600-604.
K. K. Kodonki, M. Leclercq, M. Bourgeay-Causse, A. Pascaud and F. Gaudin-Harding, “Intérêt Nutritionnel de chenilles d’Attacidés du Zaire: Composition et Valeur Nutritionnelle,” Cahiers de Nutrition et de Diététique, Vol. 22, No. 6, 1987, pp. 473-477.
F. Malaisse, “Se Nourrir en Forêt Tropicale,” Les Presses Agronomiques, Glemboux, 1997.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Los Insectos Como una Fuente de Proteínas en el Futuro,” 2nd Editon, Limusa, México, 1982.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “R?le des Insectes Dans en Forêt Tropicale,” In: C. M. Hladik, A. Hladik, H. Pagezy, O. F. Linares, G. J. A. Koppert and A. Froment, Eds., Alimentation en Forêt Tropicale: Interactions Bioculturelles et Perspectives de Développement, UNESCO, Paris, 1993, pp. 371-382.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Insect Consumption as a Mean of National Identity,” In: S. J. Jain, Ethnobiology in Human Welfare, Deep Publication, New Delhi, 1996, pp. 9-12.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “La Etnoentomología en la Alimentación, la Medicina y el Reciclaje,” In: J. E. LlorenteBousquets., J. J. Morrone, O. Ya?ez and I. F.Vargas, Eds, Biodiversidad, Taxonomía y Biogeografía de Artrópodos de México: Hacia una Síntesis de su Conocimiento UNAM, Facultad de Ciencias, México, 2004, pp. 329413.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. Pino, C. M. Márquez, V. F. Rincón, P. M. Alvarado and E. P. Escamilla, “Protein Content of Some Edible Insects in Mexico,” Journal of Etnobiology, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1984, pp. 61-72.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. Pino, E. P. Escamilla, M. A. Pérez, J. O. Lagunez, and O. de G. Ladrón, “Nutritional Value of Edible Insects from the State of Oaxaca, México,” Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 2, 1997, pp. 142-157. doi:10.1006/jfca.1997.0530
J. Ramos-Elorduy, R. H. Bourges and J. M. M. Pino, “Valor Nutritivo y Calidad de la Proteína de Algunos Insectos Comestibles de México,” Folia Entomológica Mexicana, Vol. 53, 1982, pp. 111-118.
M. D. Finke, G. R. DeFoliart and M. L. Sundae, “An Evaluation of the Protein Quality of Mormon Cricket (Anabrux simplex H.) When Used as a High Protein Feedstuff for Poultry,” Poultry Science, Vol. 64, 1985, pp. 708-712.
B. J. Nakagaki and G. R. DeFoliart, “Protein Quality of the House Cricket Acheta domestica When Fed to Broiler Chicks,” Poultry Science, Vol. 66, 1987, pp. 1367-1371.
G. R. DeFoliart, “The Human Use of Insects as Food and as Animal Feed,” Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America, Vol. 35, 1989, pp. 22-35.
M. Conconi, “Estudio Comparativo de 42 Especies de Insectos Comestibles con Alimentos Convencionales en sus Valores Nutritivo, Calórico, Proteínico y de Aminoácidos, Haciendo énfasis en la Aportación de Aminoácidos Esenciales y su Papel en el Metabolismo Humano,” Prof. Thesis, Portal de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 1993.
O. de G. Ladrón, P. Padilla, L. García, J. M. M. Pino and J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Amino Acid Determination in Some Edible Mexican Insects,” Amino Acids, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1995, pp. 161-173.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. M. Pino and M. O. González, “Digestibilidad in Vitro de Algunos Insectos Comestibles de México,” Folia Entomológica Mexicana, Vol. 49, 1981, pp. 141-154.
J. J. Dreyer and A. S. Weameyer, “On the Nutritive Value of Mopanie Worms,” South African Journal of Science, Vol. 78, 1982, pp. 33-35.
R. H. Bourges, J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. M. Pino and M. N. Suárez, “Bioensayos en Rata Wistar Para Estimar la Calidad Proteínica de Tres Insectos Comestibles de México,” Resúmenes XVI Congreso Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Vol. 20, No. 4, 1985, pp. 23-34.
J. Ramos-Elorduy and J. M. M. Pino, “Digestibilidad proteinica in Vitro de Tres Avispas Comestibles de México,” xvi Congreso Tecnología de Alimentos, Vol. 20, No. 4, 1985, pp. 24.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, Los Insectos Como una Fuente de Proteínas en el Futuro, WHO, Geneva, 1974.
J. Ramos-Elorduy and J. M. M. Pino, “Contenido Calórico de Algunos Insectos Comestibles de México,” Revista de la Sociedad Química de Mexico, Vol. 34, No. 2, 1990, pp. 56-68.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, “Energy Supplied by Edible Insects from Mexico and Their Nutritional and Ecological Importance,” Ecology of Food and Nutrition, Vol. 48, No. 3, 2008, pp. 280-297. doi:10.1080/03670240701805074
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. M. Pino and V. H. C. Martínez, “Base de datos de insectos Comestibles de México,” Unibio (Unidad de Biodiversidad del IBUNAM), México, 2011, in Press.
D. Otte, “Grasshoppers (Acridomorpha). Orthoptera Species File No. 4,” The Orthopterists’ Society and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1995.
D. Otte, “Orthoptera Species File 5: Grasshoppers (Acridomorpha); D. Acridoidea (Part)”. The Orthopterists’ Society and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 1995.
D. Pearson, “The Chemical Analysis of Food,” 6th Edition, J.&A. London, 1970.
AOAC, “Official Methods of Analysis,” AOAC International, Washington DC, 1975.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, E. Motte Florac and M. Conconi, “Entomophagie au Mexique,” Peters Louvain, Paris, 2006.
WHO/FAO/UNU, “Report: Energy and Protein Requirements,” WHO Technical Report Series No. 724, Geneva, 1985.
R. D. Mahan and T. Arlin, “Nutrición y Dietoterapia,” McGraw-Hill, Boston, 1995.
J. Ramos-Elorduy, J. L. Mu?oz and J. M. Pino M., “Determinación de Minerales en Algunos Insectos Comestibles de México,” Revista de la Sociedad Química de México, Vol. 42, No.1, 1998, pp. 18-33.
R. Taylor, “Butterflies in My Stomach (or Insects in the Human Nutrition),” Woodbridge Press, Santa Barbara, 1975.
J. Mitsuhashi, “Insects as a Traditional Food in Japan,” Ecology of Food and Nutrition, Vol. 36, No. 2-4, 1997, pp. 187-199. doi:10.1080/03670244.1997.9991514