Peru celebrates 2 decades of a fast-growing breed of guinea pigs eaten as a delicacy

LIMA, Peru — 

Peru connected Thursday celebrated 2 decades since the instauration of a genetically modified breed of guinea pig, a rodent whose nutrient has formed a portion of the fare of radical successful the Andean federation for thousands of years.

The genetically modified breed of guinea pig — known arsenic cuy locally — is called "Peru." It was created successful 2004 astatine the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation, Juan Solórzano, a probe zootechnician, said successful the mediate of 1 of the institute's farms wherever thousands of guinea pigs are raised for study.

What characterizes the Peru breed is that grows faster, reaching a value of 1 kilogram successful 56 days, alternatively than the 160 days that was needed before, Solórzano said.

"It is simply a precocious breed," said Solórzano.

Guinea pigs are autochthonal to the Andes Mountains and are raised successful Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, areas wherever the Inca Empire dispersed astir 500 years ago.

There are much than 25 cardinal guinea pigs successful Peru, according to authoritative figures. The rodent is truthful fashionable successful the South American state that authorities person decreed the 2nd Friday of October arsenic National Guinea Pig Day to promote its consumption.

Internal migration from Peru's Andes successful the 20th period brought the customized of eating guinea pigs to the country's Pacific coast.

"It is eaten astatine sporting events oregon spiritual festivals. Guinea pig is simply a festive dish," Solórzano said. It is besides utilized successful ritual healing practices by being rubbed implicit the assemblage of a sick person.

Marina Isabel Briceño, an worker astatine an aerial conditioning proviso company, said she has eaten guinea pigs since she was a child, calling them a delicacy served astatine "special events."

Born successful the Cajamarca region, Briceño said that astatine baptisms the parents often springiness the godfather and godmother a tray with much than a twelve guinea pigs that person been fried and are "crispy and acceptable to eat."

"I cognize it is simply a rodent, a distant comparative of rats, but those animals devour garbage, whereas guinea pigs devour thing else, tender maize leaves which is wherefore they are tasty," she said.