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In some regions of the world, wild-caught insects have been a valuable source of protein for centuries. However, the mass farming of insects for food and feed is a modern practice. Over the last decade, the insect farming industry has been hailed as a silver bullet for many of our food system’s problems. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has been a proponent since 2013, when it published a report advocating the potential of farmed insect protein to contribute to global food security. Things haven’t worked out quite as planned, however, a reality that was brought into stark relief recently...

Starting February 10, European consumers may find a surprising new ingredient in their everyday meals—UV-treated mealworm powder. Under a new EU regulation, up to 4% of this insect-based protein can be added to bread, cheese, pasta, and other products. Derived from the larvae of the mealworm beetle and treated with UV light for safety, the ingredient is being promoted as a sustainable protein alternative. However, those with shellfish allergies should be cautious due to potential cross-reactivity.

Open Your Mind, and Your Mouth You might think of eating insects as something kids do on a dare. But some of these little animals are popular around the world for their nutritional value -- and they’re starting to catch on in the U.S. Not long ago, sushi and lobster didn’t seem all that appetizing to Americans, so it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.

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What do black soldier fly grubs taste like? Stilton and cheese biscuits. At least that’s how British start-up Yora Pet Foods describes its dog food made from the bugs. Established in 2019, Yora introduced the first insect protein pet food sold in the U.K. Targeting environmentally conscious pet owners, it expects to have shipped over 200 tons of product to more than 200 countries and generate sales over $2.8 million. Its business is part of a movement in which manufacturers in North America, Europe and beyond are trying to make pet food more sustainable and environmentally friendly by using proteins...

The yellow mealworm “shows great promise as an alternative source of animal protein,” according to a research article published Monday in the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. The world population hit 7.7 billion last year and is expected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Researchers from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and insect company Beta Hatch Inc. found that the mealworms, which have been considered a pest in the past, can be used as food for animals and humans, and that their waste makes a great organic fertilizer....

Full headline: Would you eat a burger made from INSECTS? Mealworm-based food line set to hit grocery stores in Switzerland next week Switzerland's second-largest supermarket chain, Coop, announced it would begin selling an insect burger, and insect balls, based on protein-rich mealworm. ... Swiss food safety laws were changed last May to allow for the sale of food items containing three types of insects: crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, which are the larval form of the mealworm beetle. These insects, long used in animal feed, must be bred under strict supervision for four generations before they are considered appropriate for human...

Three researchers have been eating worms for 105 days, while living in a sealed laboratory in Beijing, to test whether astronauts could use them as their main source of protein. The volunteers fattened up the worms on plants grown inside the Moon Palace One biosphere at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the South China Morning Post reports. They had various preparations for eating the worms - using a bean sauce and other seasonings to make the dish as appealing as possible. The idea of feeding protein-rich mealworms to astronauts was apparently raised as early as 2009, but scientists...