Arthropods Accompanying Commercial Edible Grasshoppers, Sphenarium Charpentier1, from Outlets in Mexico City

Abstract

Insects are used and consumed as food during daily activities in some regions of Mexico. Success of insect consumption is related to food safety and nutritional value. Some species to be consumed are collected directly from their ecosystems. Although, it is traditional, the practice might have complications. In this work, six batches of edible grasshoppers (Sphenarium spp.) were analyzed from outlets in Mexico City. Different arthropods besides the principal edible insect were observed. Among accompanying arthropods were Acrididae (Orthoptera), one adult Hymenoptera, two lepidopteran larvae, one adult Coleoptera, and a member of Araneae. Various plant debris also was found. The diverse materials could compromise the quality and food safety of the product and might lead to allergies or potentially harmful microorganisms. Strategies must be developed for careful selection, collection, and processing procedures to ensure food quality of edible grasshoppers.