NEWS
KENYA’S ICIPE RESEARCHERS
discover new edible cricket species
R
esearchers at the International
Centre of Insect Physiology and
Ecology (icipe) in Nairobi, Kenya,
have discovered a new, previously
undescribed edible cricket with great
promise for mass production for
human consumption and inclusion
as an alternative protein ingredient in
animal feeds. The species, which was
collected and reared for experimental
purposes at the Centre’s campus, has
been named Scapsipedus icipe Hugel
& Tanga nov sp.
The cricket was discovered by icipe’s
insect for food and feed programme
that is implementing the following
projects: GREENiNSECT, funded by
the Danish International Development
Agency; ILIPA supported by the
Netherlands Organization for Scientific
Research, WOTRO Science for
Global Development (NWO-WOTRO);
ENTONUTRI, funded by the Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development (BMZ/GIZ); and
INSFEED, supported by the Canadian
International Development Research
Centre (IDRC) and the Australian
Centre for International Agricultural
Research (ACIAR).
“Scapsipedus icipe is widely farmed
across Kenya. However, until now
its true scientific information was
unavailable, and it was erroneously
mistaken for a different cricket species
known as Acheta domesticus L.,”
notes icipe scientist, Dr Tanga Mbi,
who found the insect as part of his
postdoctoral research.
Scapsipedus icipe, which is commonly
found around the buildings and fields,
is characterised by a distinctive yellow
band between the eyes and differs
from other species within the genus
Scapsipedus by a characteristic call
and territorial nature of its males.
“Through GREEiNSECT, over the
past three years we have conducted
research on the potential of farming
of edible insects as an important
contribution to nutritious food now
and in the future,” says Nanna Roos,
Associate Professor, Department
of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports,
University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
which is leading the initiative at the
university.
She adds: “We have tested indigenous
Kenyan cricket species to investigate
their potential to become ‘mini-
livestock’ for mass production for feed
and food. Therefore, the discovery
of Scapsipedus icipe is exciting and
important, not just because it is a
new species to science, but because
the species already has demonstrated
great potential large-scale farming.”
The researchers aim to conduct further
studies on Scapsipedus icipe towards
its incorporation into insects for food
and feed initiatives in Kenya. So far,
studies being conducted at icipe by
a doctoral student, expected to be
published soon, have established the
best rearing conditions under different
temperatures for Scapsipedus icipe.
The Centre is also advancing research
on the nutritional quality and safety of
Scapsipedus icipe.
November - December 2018 | 5