Eating insects is definitely a great idea!
They are nutritionally rich, more environmentally friendly to farm compared to traditional livestock, highly productive, and not at risk of extinction, making them a sustainable source of high protein. They are also known as "apocalypse food."
However, the mere thought of their appearance is enough to deter most people, myself included.
Today, scientists are trying to make edible insects appealing by promoting them as delicious and tasty, in an effort to overcome the initial disgust they may evoke.
A research team from San Diego State University published a study in March showing that ants are tastier than expected, with a variety of flavors including nutty, sweet, and caramel.
Professor Liu, the team leader, conducted field research in Oaxaca, Mexico, where locals are adept at using insects as a crucial seasoning in their cuisine.
Indeed, Mexicans are quite adept at eating ants, with the most famous being the Mexican honeypot ant.
This ant specializes in storing food in its abdomen, which swells to the size of a grape and fills with nectar. Depending on the food it consumes, its abdomen varies in color. Locally, it's used to infuse alcohol, or the head and thorax are removed, and the ants are eaten whole, bursting with each bite.
Professor Liu selected four types of ants for dietary analysis: the common black ant, the Chacatana ant, the sting ant, and the weaver ant, aiming to scientifically analyze their flavor characteristics.
The method used for this analysis is gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which detects volatile compounds emitted by the ants. These compounds are then compared using olfactory equipment.
Here are the flavor characteristics of the four ant types:
Common Black Ant: Spicy and pungent, with a strong acidic scent derived from formic acid.
Chacatana Ant: Lacks any acidic taste and features a nutty, woody, and fatty aroma, which is quite rich. The nutty aroma mainly comes from the pheromone pyrazine, reminiscent of toasted bread and roasted meat, while the fatty aroma primarily arises from aldehydic compounds.
Sting Ant: Adult ants also contain a significant amount of formic acid, producing a pungent acidic taste.
Weaver Ant: Nutty, sweet, and caramel-like flavors, accompanied by an unpleasant smell of dry hay or urine due to high concentrations of ammonia.
Professor Liu expressed that the main purpose of this research is to encourage people to accept ants as food, utilizing their distinct flavors to create varied dishes.
Just as one might use lemons for their sourness, black ants could be used, or Chacatana ants for a taste reminiscent of toasted bread.
The Tradition of Sour Ants in China
When it comes to culinary delights, China's culinary prowess deserves a shoutout, especially for its long history of utilizing the sourness of ants in cooking.
Before vinegar became widespread in ancient times, people satisfied their cravings by harnessing the sourness of plants and animals, including ants, a tradition known as "sour ants."
In regions like Yunnan and Guangdong, there's a species of ant colloquially known as "sour ants," scientifically named as the yellow weaver ant. These ants store acid in their abdomens.
The yellow weaver ants are skilled weavers; they build nests using leaves on large trees. A single nest can house tens of thousands of ants, sometimes as large as a big pumpkin, with a width of 30-50 centimeters.
In Yunnan, catching these sour ants has its own methods. Either the entire colony is cut down, or traps are set to lure them.
By smearing honey on a dustpan and placing it on the ground, after a few hours, the dustpan will be covered with a dense mass of sour ants.
Once cleaned, these ants can be boiled in hot water for a few minutes and enjoyed in various dishes: cold salads, scrambled eggs, or even deep-fried.
The larvae and eggs are also edible, offering a tangy taste with a hint of creaminess, said to be exceptionally delicious, so much so that even if your teeth ache from the sourness, you won't stop eating with chopsticks.
If you consider wild sour ants a delicacy from the tropical jungle, then the farmable black ants are the soul of urban ant and pig's trotter hotpot.
I haven't tried it myself, but I am quite surprised from what others have described.
The process involves soaking glossy black ants in high-proof alcohol, then, as the hotpot begins to boil, the ants are ignited and placed on the surface of the broth to burn.
According to the blogger, after a few minutes of burning, the black ants release formic acid, turning the hotpot broth sour. This reportedly results in a delicious taste, with the ants providing a crispy texture, the broth a tangy flavor, and the pig's trotters a sticky consistency.
However, there is a peculiar after-effect: it feels like the ants are crawling in your mouth!
Final Thoughts
For the people in Yunnan who excel at consuming ants, ants are not only tasty but also considered highly nutritious, offering a range of health benefits including resistance to diseases and rheumatism.
However, ants are not suitable for everyone as they contain high levels of actin, a protein similar to those found in seafood, which means that people allergic to seafood might also be allergic to ants.
The acidity in ants primarily comes from formic acid, which is corrosive at high concentrations.
Many individuals may also exhibit allergy-like symptoms when exposed to formic acid, therefore, consumption is not recommended.
A word of caution: although ants are a delicacy, they can carry various pathogens. There have been numerous instances of vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain after consumption.
For those interested in trying this exotic food, it is advisable to obtain ants through proper channels and have them prepared by an experienced chef.
