西班牙进化生物学研究所的研究团队通过分析745份古代人类牙结石样本，揭示了现代人对食用昆虫的抵触可能有着深层的进化根源1。这项发表在《Science Advances》期刊上的研究追溯了人类食用昆虫习惯的历史变化，样本跨度长达33000年1。
研究发现，北欧亚人群在过去9000年间极少食用昆虫，这一时期恰好对应农业兴起以来的阶段1。这种饮食模式的转变与遗传因素密切相关：北欧亚人群携带的几丁质酶基因发生了突变，导致其消化昆虫外骨骼的能力显著下降1。相比之下，热带地区的人群则更可能携带与几丁质酶和几丁生物酶高表达相关的基因变异，保留了有利于消化昆虫的遗传特征1。
历史对比数据进一步强调了这种进化差异。尼安德特人牙结石中的昆虫DNA含量与现代西部黑猩猩相似，且最常见的是双翅目昆虫的遗传痕迹，其中蚊子DNA含量特别丰富1。这表明远古人类曾广泛食用昆虫，但随着时间推移，北欧亚人群逐渐减少了这一食物来源的摄入。
Researchers at Spain's Institute of Evolutionary Biology have uncovered evidence suggesting that modern Northern Eurasian populations' reluctance to consume insects is rooted in genetic changes dating back approximately 9,000 years.1 The study, which analyzed 745 ancient dental calculus samples tracing back 33,000 years, reveals a striking contrast in insect consumption patterns between modern humans and our evolutionary predecessors.1
The research identified mutations in the chitinase gene among Northern Eurasian populations that reduced their ability to digest the exoskeletons of insects, a genetic pattern that has persisted since the rise of agriculture.1 In contrast, Neanderthals showed significantly higher insect consumption, with DNA traces in their dental calculus comparable to those found in western chimpanzees.1 Dipteran insects—particularly mosquitoes and flies—were the most commonly detected insects in Neanderthal samples, with mosquito DNA being especially abundant.1
The geographic distribution of insect-digestion capacity suggests that populations in tropical regions retained genetic variants associated with higher expression of chitinase and chitinolytic enzymes, indicating that Western aversion to insect consumption may reflect deeper ecological and evolutionary divergence.1 The findings were published in Science Advances, Volume 12, Issue 23, 2026.1
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