Active Users:307 Time:08/07/2025 10:56:44 AM
Would you eat insects? kHz1000 Send a noteboard - 10/07/2013 08:19:55 PM

Just a few questions concerning edible insects. I like the idea myself, think it’s a bit yucky but would totally give it a try and could imagine insects becoming commercially available in Western countries (if not exactly part of mainstream food culture) in a decade or two.

Info/sales pitch : The EU invested 3 million euros in research concerning insects as novel sources of protein last year. Insects are rich in protein, very nearly on par with red meat. They can also be an awesome source of iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium among other minerals. Chitin could be utilized as a source of fiber. However, along with the scientific and technological problems (insect farming, microbiological safety, allergies, chemical risk factors, etc.) you also have the problem of marketing, i.e. people’s lack of enthusiasm.

  1. Should eating insects become the next big thing in Western food culture?

  2. How do you make insects an appealing food choice?

  3. Will we all be eating insects in the future? When will this happen?

  4. What argument could be made against eating bugs?

To elimininate the yuck factor, food industry would probably want to develop products that are as acceptable as possible to the consumers. Insect sausage, for example, probably wouldn’t be too terrible. If you can eat an ordinary sausage, you can probably stomach one with pureed mealworms in it. There’s also apparently this dessert called grasshopper pie with oreos and ice cream. Why not make an actual grasshopper pie?

  1. What conventional foods could be “upgraded” with the addition of insects?
Reply to message
Would you eat insects? - 10/07/2013 08:19:55 PM 1131 Views
Possibly? - 10/07/2013 08:50:56 PM 1002 Views
Re: Possibly? - 11/07/2013 09:19:18 PM 803 Views
No, but I'm picky. - 10/07/2013 08:52:11 PM 867 Views
Also, this post makes me wish eatbugs was still around. *NM* - 10/07/2013 08:53:34 PM 430 Views
Re: No, but I'm picky. - 10/07/2013 08:54:14 PM 808 Views
Your cerebral cortex has probably glitched. - 10/07/2013 09:08:20 PM 878 Views
I had a red ant and a lady bug once. - 10/07/2013 09:10:53 PM 940 Views
Sure, why not? I'm not prejudiced. *NM* - 10/07/2013 10:59:12 PM 441 Views
It's really a marketing problem is all it is. - 11/07/2013 12:10:54 AM 1251 Views
The sad part is ... - 11/07/2013 03:04:37 AM 807 Views
Been there, done that. - 11/07/2013 01:26:30 AM 931 Views
I doubt it will really come up - 11/07/2013 02:20:50 AM 846 Views
Thank you for this response. Very interesting. - 11/07/2013 09:09:24 PM 870 Views
Your welcome, its an interesting subject - 12/07/2013 03:54:31 AM 797 Views
Re: Your welcome, its an interesting subject - 12/07/2013 02:56:22 PM 751 Views
Re: Your welcome, its an interesting subject - 12/07/2013 04:46:53 PM 835 Views
Mmm, they taste like chicken, Timon! - 11/07/2013 04:24:56 AM 808 Views
Sure why not? Some, at least - 11/07/2013 12:18:16 PM 790 Views
I have. They were OK. There's a reason we don't eat them - 11/07/2013 06:19:32 PM 870 Views
I mean, I'm from Louisiana, so we already pretty much do. - 11/07/2013 09:41:11 PM 772 Views
How? Sautéed with garlic and olive oil, everything is yummy. *NM* - 13/07/2013 01:21:44 PM 426 Views

Reply to Message