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Text: Vientiane hardcore
Edited by Vientiane hardcore
«——【Preamble】】 ——»
In 2015, China News Network popularized a rare African "delicacy", which is made from about 500,000 mosquitoes, also known as "mosquito burgers".
Isn't that surprising? You read that right, this burger is made from mosquitoes and is said to be 7 times more nutritious than a regular beef burger!
The burgers that people usually eat are chicken burgers, beef burgers, and vegetable burgers, so what does this "mosquito burger" taste like, and is it really no problem for mosquitoes carrying a variety of germs to be eaten?
«—[Mosquito made of "hamburger"·]—»
In Lake Victoria in Africa, mosquitoes are regarded as a rare delicacy by the locals, and its high protein is very attractive to local residents, so it is made into a "mosquito burger" that is very popular among men, women and children.
Don't look at the mosquito thing is extremely annoying, this "mosquito burger" is a famous local natural specialty seasonal food, not available all year round.
It is said that there are about 500,000 mosquitoes in each mosquito burger, and one bite is equivalent to eating tens of thousands of mosquitoes, which is said to be not only nutritious, but also delicious.
But what is more curious than the taste of the mosquito burger is whether the mosquitoes that people are so disgusted can really eat?
«—[High-protein "mosquito"·]—»
In China, the North Bay area is recognized as one of the places with the most mosquitoes in the world, and it is said that local border soldiers must wear mosquito shields on their daily work, otherwise they will be easily "carried away" by various mosquitoes.
So much so that people say that there are "three mosquitoes in one dish". That being said, I've never seen anyone actually think of eating mosquito meat.
But some tribes living in Victoria, Africa, have a habit of eating mosquitoes every summer, apparently turning the legend directly into reality.
It is understood that every summer, an overwhelming swarm of mosquitoes will gather on the surface of Lake Victoria to start a new round of "family gathering", and the buzzing sound is like thunder.
From a distance, the surface of the lake seems to be shrouded in a thick layer of black fog, and this constantly moving "black fog" once shocked people. It is no exaggeration to say that there are so many mosquitoes that even the mosquitoes themselves feel panicked.
But even more shocking is yet to come.
Like a few mosquitoes in our lives, we have to find a way to shoot it to death, in order to sanitize mosquitoes, we have tried our best, but here mosquitoes are "guests".
Far from being annoyed, they happily said that they could finally add food!
Food scarcity and poor medical care continue to exist in some tribes in Africa, including Victoria's tribes, which have led to malnutrition.
The villagers of these tribes believe that mosquitoes are rich in protein that their bodies need, and they catch a large number of mosquitoes and make them into food to supplement their nutrition directly.
In the summer, every household will go out as a whole, and each person will have a large basin, cauldron or a wooden plank, which is dipped in a little water, honey or grease, and come to the mosquito colony to fan back and forth to catch mosquitoes.
Because of the high density of mosquitoes here, it is very easy to catch, and it takes almost no effort to catch a full pot of mosquitoes, which they will return to their homes and remove these mosquitoes by hand.
Then knead into multiple small black patties (similar to the small meatloaf in the middle of a burger), put oil in a stone pan, and fry on both sides before serving.
They take a bite and a smell spreads in their mouths, and for the villagers of African tribes, the mosquito burger is a rare delicacy.
It is said that there are about 500,000 mosquitoes in such a round cake, and one bite is equivalent to eating tens of thousands of mosquitoes, and its nutritional value is more than 7 times higher than that of ordinary beef burgers!
According to local villagers, this mosquito burger is simple to make, in addition to the similar appearance, the cooking method and flavor of each village are also very different.
But most foreign tourists refuse to taste it, because most people subconsciously feel that mosquitoes are carriers of bacteria and viruses, which is impossible to eat.
I have to say that Africans always bring all kinds of "unexpected surprises" to the public in terms of food. What kind of mosquitoes are the ones that Africans are happy to catch and even hoard?
«—[What kind of mosquito is in a mosquito burger?·]—»
The reason why people hate mosquitoes is because they often bite people's skin, causing pimples, itching, etc., and even some mosquitoes can transmit infectious viruses that make people feel painful, such as Aedes mosquitoes.
Therefore, many people do not understand that even if they are extremely hungry, they should not think of eating mosquito meat, and if they get sick, it is not a vicious circle.
In fact, the villagers of Victorian villages are not eating the mosquitoes we see every day. Some people say that this mosquito is called a midge, and it does not feed on human blood.
Mosquitoes are different from ordinary mosquitoes, which mostly rely on water bodies to live and reproduce, while ordinary mosquitoes mostly fly and live on land.
Mature midges are similar to regular mosquitoes, but they have their own subtle differences.
In appearance, the mouthparts of the midges are relatively small and curved, and the larvae of the midges mainly eat plankton and organic debris on the surface of the water, and the adults hardly eat, at most sucking some liquids containing sugar.
The mouth of a common mosquito resembles a long needle and feeds on the blood of humans or other animals.
The body color of the midges is relatively rich, including black, yellow, white, green, etc., and is accompanied by some color spots; common mosquitoes are mostly black and white, brown.
They are also phototaxis and usually fly around the lights at night, which is not the case with ordinary mosquitoes.
They also have a habit that ordinary mosquitoes do not have - "wedding flying".
This is a common breeding phenomenon in the midnight or late afternoon, where males gather in large groups and fly through the air to attract females to mate with them.
When the mosquitoes "get married", it is the best time for the villagers near Lake Victoria to carry out the capture operation.
People will smear the container with sweet water, grease and other liquids that the midges like to lure the midges to "burrow" into the container, so that the midges will stick to the bottom of the container and die.
It's a bit like the ultraviolet mosquito traps that people put in their homes to electrocute waves of mosquitoes and flies.
However, some people say that Africa eats a flying insect called "small bite", whose real name is midge.
They also have a breeding activity similar to "marriage flight", but their flight ability is somewhat low. These insects are relatively small, mostly brown and black.
Some people also say that it is a kind of mosquito, maybe there are any mosquitoes in this black cake, they are all speculations, and there is no relevant explanation, but in combination with the actual situation, the possibility of these insects is relatively large.
However, more people are more skeptical than the types of mosquitoes, can mosquitoes really eat?
«—【Can mosquito burgers be eaten with confidence?·】—»
It is said that there are nearly 2,000 species of insects that can be eaten in the world, and hundreds of them have been deeply rooted in people's dietary habits, among which Africa is the country that eats the most insects.
According to the survey, the protein content of insects is indeed high, and it also contains some fiber, vitamins and necessary minerals, which is edible compared to ordinary food.
The reason why insects are not included as one of the recipes is that they are difficult to catch and raise, and the supply is not stable. So is that to say that mosquitoes can eat?
If it's a midge, there is still a chance that it can be eaten. After all, the midges do not have the habit of sucking blood, and usually eat plankton or organic matter from the bottom of the water.
To some extent, they are rich in nutrients, and their larvae are often used as bait for living organisms, and they play an immeasurable role in the ecological balance of the water environment.
Their presence in large numbers is an important warning of the serious level of water pollution in the area.
The most important thing is that they do not transmit viruses or diseases, and if Africans catch these mosquitoes, the possibility of problems is relatively low.
But not necessarily if it's a midge. Female midges suck blood, and female midges are the most powerful in spreading viruses.
They usually suck blood to replenish their nutrients after mating. Moreover, they mostly breed in soil, ponds and other places with putrid substances, and even produce in manure pits and sewage places.
It is conceivable that compared with the midge, the "life experience" of midges seems to be "a little unclean".
It is said that after being bitten by it, the virus molecules carried on its body will cause redness, swelling, itching and itching of the human skin, and in severe cases, it will cause functional damage to the body.
However, seeing that Africans eat mosquito burgers every year, there is nothing wrong with their bodies, and it is difficult to say whether there are antibodies or viruses that are too deeply hidden. Anyway, most people probably don't dare to eat it, so you can try it.
Reference:
China News Network, "African High-Nutrition "Food": 500,000 Mosquitoes Made into "Mosquito Burger"" 2015-7-27