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Insects as food

Insects as food

As the global population increases and fears of future food shortages grow, there has been an interest in edible insects.

In many cultures around the world, insects already form a part of the daily diet or eaten as a delicacy. So if we can overcome our scruples, this could be an interesting evolution of the human food culture.

In this Japanese language blog, Japanese teacher Yukiko Takane explores this fascinating topic. You can learn a lot of new vocabulary and Japanese Kanji from this blog. You can also practice Japanese listening from the YouTube video.

昆虫食
Insects as food

takane

By TAKANE Yukiko

Insect-food

 次世代食材として、昆虫食注目されています。 将来、世界で食料不足になったとき、人類救ってくれる食材になるかもしれません。

 実は昆虫は栄養豊富で、加工しやすいそうです。色々な食品への活用期待されています。 多くの昆虫は食べることができますが、野生で生きているものなので、殺菌消毒しなければいけません。のある昆虫もいますから注意が必要です。 自分で料理するのは危険ですね。

 昆虫なんて食べられない!と思う人も多いと思います。(私もです) 粉末ペーストを他の食品に混ぜれば食べられそうですよね。 または、料理を作る人に内緒で混ぜてもらうのはどうでしょうか。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

昆虫食(こんちゅうしょく)

 次世代(じせだい)の食材(しょくざい)として、昆虫食(こんちゅうしょく)注目(ちゅうもく)されています。 将来(しょうらい)、世界(せかい)で食料不足(しょくりょうぶそく)になったとき、人類(じんるい)救(すく)ってくれる食材(しょくざい)になるかもしれません。

 実(じつ)は昆虫(こんしゅう)は栄養(えいよう)豊富(ほうふ)で、加工(かこう)しやすいそうです。色々(いろいろ)な食品(しょくひん)への活用(かつよう)期待(きたい)されています。 多(おお)くの昆虫(こんちゅう)は食(た)べることができますが、野生(やせい)で生(い)きているものなので、殺菌消毒(さっきんしょうどく)しなければいけません。毒(どく)のある昆虫(こんちゅう)もいますから注意(ちゅうい)が必要(ひつよう)です。 自分(じぶん)で料理(りょうり)するのは危険(きけん)ですね。

 昆虫(こんちゅう)なんて食(た)べられない!と思(おも)う人(ひと)も多(おお)いと思(おも)います。(私(わたし)もです) 粉末(ふんまつ)ペーストを他(ほか)の食品(しょくひん)に混(ま)ぜれば食(た)べられそうですよね。 または、料理(りょうり)を作(つく)る人(ひと)に内緒(ないしょ)で混(ま)ぜてもらうのはどうでしょうか。

Insects as food

As a next generation of food sources, insects are getting a lot of attention. In the future, when there is a shortage of food, this could become the food ingredient that saves mankind.

Actually, insects are rich in nutrition and easy to process. They are expected to be utilized in a range of food products. Many types of insects can be eaten but because they live in the wild, they need to be properly sterilized. And there are some insects that contain poison, so it is necessary to take care. So it would be dangerous to cook them ourselves.

There are many people (including me) who think “I would never eat insects!” But if they are powdered or made into a paste and mixed with other food ingredients, I could probably eat them. And then again, if the person cooking them kept it a secret and mixed them in I probably could as well.

昆虫食(こんちゅうしょく) Insect foods

次世代(じせだい) next generation

食材(しょくざい) ingredient

注目(ちゅうもく) pay attention

食料不足(しょくりょうぶそく) short of food

人類(じんるい) humans

救(すく)う save

栄養(えいよう)が豊富(ほうふ)rich in nutrition

加工(かこう) processing

食品(しょくひん) food

活用(かつよう)use, utilise

期待(きたい)expectation

野生(やせい)wild

殺菌消毒(さっきんしょうどく)sterilizing

毒(どく)poison

粉末(ふんまつ)powder

ペースト paste

takane

Hajimemashite, I am Yukiko Takane.
I live in Chiba Prefecture. My hometown is near the ocean and is surrounded by rice fields - its a laid-back place. The sashimi and rice is really good here. My family home makes rice as well, so I usually help out during the harvest season. I may look weak, but actually I can lift a 30kg bag of rice.

In the past, I taught Japanese in Saipan and Cebu islands. The people I got to know there are precious to me. I am really looking forward to meeting you all in the online classrooms. I have been called 'Takani' Sensei or 'Okane' sensei by my students. Well, I am not a 'crab' nor am I 'money' - the name is Takane. Doozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Try to use your newly learned vocabulary and phrases all the time in the lessons. Looking forward to meeting you all in class !

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