02 Expository Essay Sample 2

HKU SPACE Community College
Associate Degree/Higher Diploma Programme
First Semester 20xx
Introduction to Academic English
Assignment 2: Expository Essay
Given a Problem of Food Security, Examine Entomophagy

(Eating Insects) as a Solution.
To: (The name of your lecturer)
From: (Your name)
Class: xxxx
Submission Date: xx-xx-xx

Contemplate the persistent dilemma of global food scarcity and envisage a novel
remedy: the incorporation of insects into our diet. This seemingly unconventional proposal,
upon closer examination, unveils a potential avenue for ameliorating the nourishing
insufficiency confronting humanity. Exploring the consumption of insects as a possible answer
to food scarcity uncovers its advantages in resource use, nutritional offerings, and eco-
consciousness, positioning it as a persuasive substitute for customary livestock farming. One
billion people already suffer from chronic hunger, and the world's population is predicted to
reach nine billion by 2050 (Stamer, 2015). Food security is a pressing problem for human
beings due to booming populations, uneven distribution of food, and a decrease in food safety.
However, insects, the most abundant animals rich in nutrition and value, could help alleviate
food insecurity (Gahukar, 2011). Even though insectivorous species are not common in many
countries, many conditions of insects can be considered as food sources. Three reasons for
entomophagy will be discussed in this essay: biologically nutritive, sustainable food supply,
and suitable for consumption.
Firstly, entomophagy is a method of obtaining biologically valuable nutrients, such as

protein and fats, which are helpful to humans. In many countries, undernutrition directly results
from overpopulation and food shortage. According to Gahukar (2011), there will be an increase
in the demand for protein-rich foods as the global population expands, and this will negatively
impact negatively impacting the environment. Thus, providing animal-based proteins in the
future will be exceedingly difficult. However, Gahukar (2011) finds that insects contain several
minerals and vitamins and cover copper, zinc, and iron requirements. For instance, the protein
content of caterpillars to the extent of 50– 60 g/100 g is higher than that of beef (27.4 g) or
broiled codfish (28.5 g). As well as providing enough nutrition for humans to consume daily,
insects also contain more nutrition than ordinary animals. This solves the problem of
malnutrition caused by insufficient food, so people can still get additional nutrients besides
eating insects. Hence, enough nutrition provided by insects can undoubtedly solve the problem
of inadequate food.
Secondly, entomophagy solves the problem of unequal food distribution by providing

stable and sustainable food supplies. The food supply in developing countries is not evenly
distributed, and subtropical areas are unsuitable for agriculture because of their hot climates
and lack of animals. Patterson et al. (2017) explain that in Sub-Saharan Africa, climatic events
2
such as droughts, heatwaves, and unpredictable precipitation will have a detrimental effect on
food and water production, contributing to food insecurity. However, Barton et al. (2013)
showed. It is easily possible to rear and multiply insects in small spaces and over a brief period
due to their short life cycles and high intrinsic growth rates. In fact, insects reproduce faster
than traditional livestock, and their water requirement is exceptionally low. Furthermore, not
only can insects solve the problem of unequal food distribution, but they could also reduce
hunger related to food shortages. As a result of their rapid growth rates, they are considered
sustainable sources of food, which in turn solves the problem of inadequate food due to regional
issues, while providing enough food for everyone as well.
Finally, insects are considered safe to eat, enhancing food quality and reducing virus
spread (Terazono, 2021). The environment has been contaminated by human development and
pollution, resulting in food that has degraded in quality, which in turn causes diseases in
humans. According to Sun et al. (2017), pollutants can disperse into the soil and then negatively
affect plants and cause health risks to humans. Since the European Food Safety Agency
approved yellow mealworms for human consumption, insects have become a staple of
European diets (Terazono, 2021). Considering that insects do not deteriorate food quality, they
are a much safer alternative safer alternatives to animals. Therefore, insects are safer to
consume than animals, and they will not have an adverse effect on human health while
eliminating concerns about food safety by degrading food quality. This may even solve the
food safety problem altogether.
This essay has outlined three reasons for entomophagy based on the problem of food
security. To reiterate, insects are good food sources due to their rich nutrition, which meets
basic needs; ecological sustainability, which reduces hunger by increasing food production;
and safety concerns associated with insects, which ensure food safety. These may not be the
best solutions to the food problem through insects alone. Still, even though the food crisis
worsens, insectivorous food can alleviate famine due to inadequate food supply. Overall,
entomophagy will undeniably be a great solution for solving the food security problem in the
coming years.
Words: 727
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References
Barton, A., Richardson, C. D., & McSweeney, M. B. (2020). Consumer attitudes toward
entomophagy before and after evaluating cricket (Acheta domesticus)-based protein
powders. Journal of Food Science, 85(3), 781–788.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15043
Gahukar, R. T. (2011). Entomophagy and human food security. International Journal of

Tropical Insect Science, 31(3), 129-144.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1742758411000257
Patterson, K., Berrang-Ford, L., Lwasa, S., Namanya, D., Ford, J., Twebaze, F., Harper, S.
(2017). Seasonal variation of food security among the Batwa of Kanungu, Uganda.
Public Health Nutrition, 20(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016002494
Stamer, A. (2015). Insect proteins—a new source for animal feed. EMBO Reports, 16(6),
676–680. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.201540528
Sun, F., Yun, D., & Yu, X. (2017). Air pollution, food production and food security： A
review from the perspective of food system. Journal of Integrative Agriculture,
16(12), 2945-2962. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119
Terazono, E. (2021). Insects creep towards EU (European Union) plates as mealworms

deemed safe to eat. FT.Com. https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/insects-creep-
towards-eu-plates-as-mealworms/docview/2488503050/se-2?accountid=14548

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HKU SPACE Community College

Associate Degree/Higher Diploma Programme

First Semester 20xx

Introduction to Academic English

Assignment 2: Expository Essay

Given a Problem of Food Security, Examine Entomophagy

To: (The name of your lecturer)

From: (Your name)

Submission Date: xx-xx-xx

Firstly, entomophagy is a method of obtaining biologically valuable nutrients, such as

Secondly, entomophagy solves the problem of unequal food distribution by providing

Gahukar, R. T. (2011). Entomophagy and human food security. International Journal of

Terazono, E. (2021). Insects creep towards EU (European Union) plates as mealworms

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