Recent research has uncovered that early Europeans, including Neanderthals, occasionally consumed insects, but this was likely accidental rather than a dietary choice. The study, published in Science Advances, analyzed dental plaque from early humans, Neanderthals, and great apes, revealing traces of insect DNA.
Accidental Entomophagy
The research, conducted by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, Spain, suggests that the ingestion of insects was sporadic and unintentional in Europe, Central, and East Asia. In contrast, it was more common in tropical regions and among Neanderthal populations. The study found that prehistoric European foragers lacked the genetic ability to digest chitin, the primary component of insect exoskeletons.
Researchers analyzed dental plaque from 18 Neanderthals and 745 anatomically modern humans, finding insect DNA at levels significantly lower than those in gorillas, western chimpanzees, and Neanderthals. The study also examined genetic data from the 1000 Genomes Project, revealing that pre-Neolithic European humans did not possess alleles supporting chitin digestion.
Neanderthals and Insect Consumption
Neanderthals showed a greater abundance of insect DNA in their dental calculus compared to anatomically modern humans. The most common DNA remains belonged to Diptera, the insect group that includes flies and mosquitoes. This supports the hypothesis that Neanderthals consumed animal carcasses infested with fly larvae, possibly storing them in marshy areas where mosquitoes lay eggs.
The study also found that Neanderthals had chitinase genes that facilitated better digestion of insects, similar to the Denisovan specimen analyzed. These genes are responsible for producing enzymes that break down chitin, and their expression was more pronounced in populations near the tropics.
Modern Implications
Despite the historical rarity of insect consumption in Europe, modern industrial processing allows for the nutritional benefits of insects to be harnessed without the need for genetic adaptation. This has implications for addressing global dietary needs as the population grows.
Study leader Pablo Librado emphasized that the reduced availability of insects in non-tropical areas likely contributed to the decline of entomophagy in European populations. However, advancements in processing technology now enable the mass production of edible insects, offering a sustainable food source for the future.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
