Pieris rapae (cabbage butterfly), from invasive species to new culinary ingredient.

Abstract

In recent years, environmentally focused debates have paid increasing attention to the growing world population and the simultaneous meat consumption. Sourcing sustainable food – particularly protein – presents one of the great challenges of the future, and, subsequently, numerous scientific projects are dedicated to studying ways through which this can be sourced. Entomophagy (the consumption of insects) is not a new phenomenon for the human species, which has long enjoyed the proteins present in many insects, many of which are considered invasive species, especially in Europe. One such – the Pieris rapae, more commonly known as the cabbage butterfly – causes a lot of damage to cabbages every year, which has led to economic losses to Brassicaceae fields around Europe. The objective of this project has been to study the Pieris rapae as a potential new source of protein, while considering the role of neophobia in Western culture and what possible acceptance consumers might reach in terms of consuming butterflies. This study demonstrates that the cabbage butterfly contains a high concentration of protein, as the nutritional analysis has found a concentration of 27.70% protein and 66.4% water. Moreover, the concentration of heavy metals is found to be insignificant when compared to the concentration maximum established for different kinds of food by the European Union. This study likewise demonstrates that consumers, even when they are not overly willing to try new foods, generally like the taste of butterflies. This study has taken into consideration cultural contexts and what influences such might have on consumer perceptions. The sensory analysis has been carried out by two tests; one measuring neophobia and one how much consumers liked the food. This analysis was conducted with two different cultural backgrounds, with one group of participants being Danish and one being Spanish. It found that, overall, Danish participants were more willing to try new foods, while Spanish participants generally liked the taste of the food better (grading 1 point higher than the Danes on a 9-point hedonic scale). These results work as a starting point from which to introduce certain insects into Western culture and diets. In terms of flavor, appearance, and texture, insects, such as butterflies, have a vast array of attributes that make them a ready source of protein for both private and professional kitchens.