Edible insects and their uses in north America: Past, present and future

Abstract

Insects have been an important part of food culture for many different places and peoples across North America's history. This chapter retraces the indigenous uses of insects as a food across the continent, through modern Mexico and into the present day movement to bring these ingredients into the culinary landscape of the United States of America and Canada. The authors provide an overview of the practices and uses of insects as food in both whole and traditional forms, and newer abstractions of the insects into consumer facing snack food products. In addition, the ways in which these startup farms and product makers are using insects for food are discussed, including facets such as crowdfunding, processing and marketing, as well as evidence from the culinary and celebrity worlds that entomophagy is gaining traction in North America.