Bread made of grasshoppers, mealworms and edible fungus has been created by scientists to fight the global food crisis.
The innovative ‘insect flour’ project was led by Dr Celeste Ibarra-Herrera and a team of researchers who are focused on safeguarding the planet and feeding the future.
Scientists created the flour using Sphenarium purpurascens – a grasshopper species found in Mexico and Guatemala – and Tenebrio Molitor, otherwise known as mealworms, which are the larval form of the yellow mealworm beetle.
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As well as bugs, the insect flour included edible fungus – to improve the texture and flavour of the bread, as well as add nutritional value, scientists said.
According to researchers, the bread created provides high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, dietary fibre and bioactive compounds, as reported by Need To Know.
And the making of it generated lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional livestock farming.
It also required less water, land and feed consumption, researchers said.
According to Tecnológico de Monterrey, a higher educational institution in Monterrey, Mexico, the world’s population is projected to exceed 9.7 billion inhabitants by the year 2050.
The demand for food is estimated to grow by 60% by that same year.
Due to pressures on food systems, Dr Ibarra-Herrera decided to come up with an efficient and sustainable alternative.
She selected insects that had high nutritional content and low environmental impact.
Dr Ibarra-Herrera said, “Producing 1kg of beef requires approximately 8kg of feed.
“Insects achieve the same production with only 2kg, freeing up valuable resources like land and water.
“This innovation represents a concrete opportunity for people to improve their daily diet in a simple and accessible way.
“We are working so that with the consumption of this bread, people have a source of high-quality protein compared to traditional bread.
“The objective is clear – to creatively face the approaching protein deficit, offering sustainable foods that nourish better and are also pleasant for consumers.
“This bread represents a bold step towards transforming the perception of edible insects, integrating them into our diet in a familiar and appetising way.”
Insects being eaten by humans is a deep-rooted cultural practice in various regions of the world.
In Mexico, where this research was carried out, grasshoppers, maguey worms, jumiles, and escamoles are traditionally consumed.
The country is home to about 500 of the more than 1,600 species of edible insects reported worldwide.
Broader studies will be required to assess acceptance in various regions and to expand locations where the bread will be available.
Dr Ibarra-Herrera added, “The integration of insect-based foods into our diet requires time and education, but through innovation, effective communication, and the creation of sensorially attractive products, we are confident in achieving their normalisation, taking advantage of the nutritional and environmental benefits they offer.”
Dr Ibarra-Herrera collaborated with Food and Nutrition Security to design the bread as part of the Health Research Initiative at the School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico.
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