"What's one man's poison, signoir, is another's meat or drink.
Insects are a viable food source, however not all culture groups have the same opinion of what should or should not be consumed as food. In Japan, a consumer can easily purchase a can of baby bees (Menzel 1984), whereas in the US, the same consumer would be hard pressed to find them in the local Safeway ® or Trader Joe's ®. The human consumption of insects, or entomophagy, is considered a normal practice in many parts of the world (Taylor 1975). In most of Western culture insect eating is considered a taboo, something that would make most people cringe. Let's explore this alternative food source by answering these questions. How does culture affect a society's view of entomophagy? How do the views of the Western World differ from other culture groups around the world? What are the benefits and negative aspects of entomophagy?.
Culture has a very powerful influence on an individual's food preferences. Illgner (2000:338) has suggested that it is culture, rather than economics or environment, that determines what people eat. For example, a young child in Europe would not traditionally be served a meal that contained caterpillars. It has been conditioned into these children through their culture that insects should be seen as pests. However, a child in the Sub-Sahara of Africa may have the Mopane caterpillar served often with meals. To the inhabitants of this region the consumption and the gathering of insects is a belief that is a deeply imbedded part in their culture (Illgner 2000). If the culture in which a child is raised feels that insects, or maybe even cheese for that matter, are disgusting and not meant to be used for food they will pass this belief onto their own children. Food preferences are generally established by the age of six. As humans we will not venture far from those preferences (Menzel 1984).