U-ruyakorn Chansang*
Nipa Benjaphong*
USavadee Thavara*
Chitti Chansang*
Saifon Tipyasook*

Affiliations:
      *National Institute of Health, Public Relation Section, Department of Medical Sciences

Source:
      Journal of Health Sciences 1999; 8(2): 217-223

Language:
      Thai with English Abstract

Abstract:
      Occasionally fatal cases, effected by consumption of some insects, were reported, Upon receiving the samples of the dangerous arthropods, the Taxonomy and Reference Museum Section, Department of Medical Sciences usually identified and preserved them for further reference. In order to minimize such critical health risk and yet not to deter rural population from supplementing their diet with such protien-rich food, efforts to tabulate edible insects and assess the knowledge of 90 inhabitants of khon kaen, Nongkhai and Udon Thani were attempted in March, 1997. A total of edible 308 insects as food were collected, assisted by local advocates of this practice. The insects belonged to 5 orders 9 families and 16 species. Limited knowledge on natural toxin of insects of the interviewed subjects had exposed 64.4% of them to the fatal risk whereas the rest of them (35.6%) fully realized of the fact yet were unable to correctly identify critical morphological features of dangerous arthropods, A guideline of insect consumption should henceforth be developed based based upon the results of this study.