Tatiana Jaramillo-Vivanco
University of the Americas and the Complutense University of Madrid
Title: EDIBLE INSECT IN DIFFERENT SPECIES OF PALMS IN AMAZONIAN ECUADOR FOREST
Biography
Biography: Tatiana Jaramillo-Vivanco
Abstract
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2003 created the study program of edible insects worldwide for the generation of knowledge through publications, the alert on the role of insects and the support for field projects. It is known that by the year 2050 the world population will reach 9 billion people, growing the demand for food production from the available agroecosystems that are already under high pressure. Edible insects have been found to be high in protein, vitamins and amino acids, offer a high feed conversion rate, emit much less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock. In this way, insects could function for direct and indirect food - such as food for animals - of human beings (FAO 2020). The aim of this study is to seek breeding alternatives of edible insects in different species of palms of Amazonia forest to reduce the existing pressure on populations of certain palms, eliminating the intensive breeding of a single species and thus avoid its extinction and improving local communities’ conditions. Chontacuro is one of the most consumed products both for its source of protein and fat, especially when hunting and fishing times in the Amazon are low (Jaramillo-Vivanco et al. 2021). The traditional cultural method of raising the chontacuro is based on leaving fallen trunks of the palms after knocking them down for the collection of their fruits. The logs are left in the field, and after a period of approximately 60 days, the largest larvae are collected for consumption (Cartay et al. 2020). The consumption of this food has a nutritional, cultural and religious connotation; however, little is known about its chemical composition according to the species of palm from which it is collected.