Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- 1. Minilivestock, Environment, Sustainability, and Local Knowledge Disappearance -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Adopting Small Animals as Food: The Minilivestock -- Local Knowledge: Important or Useless? -- Risks for Loss of Species -- Knowledge and Coevolution with Natural Resources -- Why Minilivestock? -- Educational Programs -- Nutritional Arguments -- Minilivestock as Healing Food? -- Risks and Limits -- References -- 2. The Minilivestock: Environment, Education, Research, and Economics -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Biodiversity and Environment -- Constraints to Further Development -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgment -- References -- 3. Potential of Rodents for Minilivestock in Africa -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Cane Rat or Grasscutter -- Technical Feasibility -- Economics -- Creation of a Demonstration Pilot Farm -- Recommendations for Initiating an Extension Program -- Environmental Impact -- Conclusion -- Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus africanus) -- Distribution and Natural History -- Commercial Use of Porcupine Meat -- Subsistence Hunting -- Technical Aspects of Porcupine Breeding -- Reproduction -- Conclusion -- Cricetoma (Cricetomys spp.) -- General Considerations -- References -- 4. Rodent Farming in the Amazon: Experience with Amerindians in Venezuela -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Animal Species Concerned: Paca (Agouti paca) and Agouti (Dasyprocta spp.) -- Paca -- Agouti -- Role of Pacas and Agoutis in the Life of Amerindian Communities in Amazonas -- Amazonas Situation: Demographic Growth and Social Implications -- Ethnic Groups in the Project Area -- Methods of Investigation -- Rodent Minilivestock Production Project -- Animal Health Considerations -- Identification of Communities Involved in the Project -- Husbandry Methods -- Results.

Follow-up Four Years Later: Rodent Farming Still Underway -- Discussion -- Wildlife Management: A Step Toward Resource Security? -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 5. Frogs as Food -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Frog Biology -- Capture of Wild Frogs and the World Market -- Wild Catch Management -- Frogs and the Environment -- Alternative to the Decline of Frog Populations in Nature -- The Possibility of Breeding Frogs -- Main Problems in Frog Breeding -- Frog and Frog Product Marketing Possibilities -- Food Consumption -- The Skin -- Possibility of Hind-Legs Quarter Utilization and Other Frog Products -- Selling Tadpoles, Food for Frogs, and other Production Methods for Breeders -- Frogs as Pets -- Frogs for Games -- Frogs for Food Consumption in the EU and the USA -- Frog Import-Export in Europe -- Possibility of Increasing Frog Consumption in Europe -- Frog Processing -- EU Sanitary Legislation for Frog Imports -- Final Marketing Considerations -- Frog Breeding: Technologies -- Extensive Frog Breeding -- Semiintensive Frog Breeding -- Frog Intensive Closed Cycle Breeding -- Feeding -- Frog Pathologies -- Buildings and Equipment -- Genetic Factors -- Main Species Bred -- Possibilities of Frog Farming -- Frog Farming Options -- Frog Frauds -- Conclusion -- References -- Appendix 5.1 -- Appendix 5.2 -- 6. Snail Collection and Small-scale Production in Africa and Europe -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Basic Biology -- Egg-laying and Hatching -- Growth -- Reproduction -- Diapause and Circannual Rhythm -- Species Consumed -- Achatinids -- Helix species -- Snails in Human Nutrition -- Snail Market -- Pests and Diseases -- Characteristics and Utilization of Wild Populations -- Snail Farming -- Feeding Farmed Snails -- Selective Breeding in Snail Farming -- Yield -- Legislation -- Snail Farming in Practice: A Case Study.

Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- 7. Overview of Role of Edible Insects in Preserving Biodiversity -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Many, Taxonomically Diverse, Insect Species Used as Food -- Number of Insect Species Used as Food Greatly Underreported for Most Countries -- Desire of Local People to Protect Traditional Food Resources Favorable to Forest Management -- Opening National Parks and Other Wildlife Preserves to Controlled Sustainable Use by Local People can Reduce Poaching -- Reducing Pesticide Use by Harvesting Food Pest Species that are Traditional Foods -- Multiple-product Food Insect Systems can Increase Economic and Environmental Efficiency -- Reducing Organic Pollution by Recycling Agricultural and Forestry Wastes Directly into High-quality Food or Animal Feedstuffs -- Additional Factors and Considerations -- Need for Research on Mass Production of Edible Insects -- Need for Reeducation of the Western Public, Government Policy-Makers, and Agricultural Researchers about Insects as Food and Insects in General -- References -- 8. Insects: Food for Human Evolution -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Insects as High-quality Food -- Data from Primatology and Ethnography -- Insects in the Diet of Chimpanzees -- Insects in the Diet of Traditional Populations -- Insects and Human Evolution -- Data from Entomological Archaeology -- Archaeological Findings -- Coprolites -- Traces of Wear and Organic Remains on Tools -- Data from Human Fossils -- Bone Biochemistry -- Skeletal Pathologies -- Caries -- Traces of Wear and Organic Remains on Teeth -- Upper Paleolithic in Europe -- Products of Bees -- Other Food Insects -- Future Possibilities of Entomological Archaeology -- Databanks of Invertebrate DNA -- Conclusions -- References -- 9. Minilivestock Consumption in the Ancient Near East: the Case of Locusts -- Abstract -- Introduction.

References -- 10. Human Consumption of Lepidoptera, Termites, Orthoptera, and Ants in Africa -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Campeophagy in Africa -- Introduction -- Diversity of Information -- Diversity of Edible Species -- Food of Edible Caterpillars -- Seasonality -- Chemical Composition -- Termitophagy -- Introduction -- Termitophagy: Stages Consumed -- Mapping Ethnolinguistic Groups Practicing Termitophagy -- Diversity of Edible Species -- Chemical Composition -- Acridophagy in Africa -- Introduction -- Mapping Ethnolinguistic Groups Practicing Acridophagy -- Diversity of Edible Species -- Chemical Composition -- Myrmecophagy in Africa -- Introduction -- Ethnolinguistic Groups Practicing Myrmecophagy -- Diversity of Edible Species -- Chemical Composition -- Discussion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 11. Insects Eaten in Africa (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Heteroptera, Homoptera) -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Entomophagy Per Insect Order -- Coleoptera -- Hymenoptera -- Diptera -- Heteroptera -- Homoptera -- Other Insect Groups and Arthropods -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 12. Notes on Edible Insects of South Benin: A Source of Protein -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Species Consumed -- Techniques of Gathering -- Culinary Uses -- Communities Consuming Edible Insects -- Insects as Animal Protein -- Economic Importance -- Conclusion -- References -- 13. Edible Insects in Japan -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Inago -- Zaza-mushi -- Hachinoko -- Kaiko -- Magotaro-mushi -- Teppo-mushi -- Nutritional Evaluation of Traditional Insect Foods -- Conclusion -- Refrrences -- 14. Insects: A Hopeful Food Source -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Insects in the Human Diet: Tradition and Acculturation -- Entomophagy: An Ancestral Nutritional Habit.

Insects as a Code of National Identity -- Ways of Obtaining Food Resources -- Importance of Traditional Knowledge -- Insects from a Biological and Agronomic Point of View -- Biodiversity and Biogeography of Edible Insect Species -- Biomass of Edible Insect Species -- Insect Consumption Patterns -- Storage and Preservation -- Preparation -- Palatability -- Gathering -- Seasonal Capture -- Nutritive Value of Ed:ible Illsects -- Fats -- Energy -- Minerals -- Vitamins -- Insect Consumption -- Commercialization of Edible Insect Species -- Breeding Edible Insect Species -- Breeding Techniques -- Conversion Efficiency -- Recycling and Animal Nutrition -- Why Insects could be a Potential Food -- Conclusion -- References -- 15. Edible Invertebrates among Amazonian Indians: A Critical Review of Disappearing Knowledge -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Results -- Types of Invertebrates Utilized as Food -- Strategies Developed -- Nutritional Aspects -- What is Needed for Further Research in Amazonia -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 16. Edible Insects in Ecuador -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Inventory of Edible Insects in Ecuador -- Coleoptera -- Hymenoptera -- Lepidoptera -- Homoptera, Orthoptera, and Odonata -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgment -- References -- 17. Palm Worm (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Rhynchophorus palmarum) A Traditional Food: Examples from Alto Orinoco, Venezuela -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Nutritional Analysis of R. palmarum Larvae on Various Palm Substrata -- Controlled Production by the Guajibo Indians of R. palmarum on Three Different Host Plants -- Assessment of Palatability of R. palmarum to Local Tourists -- Results -- Palm-Worm Complex on Palms Studied -- Nutrient Composition of R. palmarum Larvae Reared on Moriche, Seje, and Cucurito, and Nutrient Composition of These Substrata.

Controlled Production of R. palmarurn.