Black ant guacamole. Grasshopper tacos and cricket quesadillas. Silkworm pupae cookies and mealworm brownies. The menu appeared to be out of a fictional story, but insect-chef Joseph Yoon of Brooklyn Bugs was quite serious as he described the unique and vivid flavors each insect would bring to the dishes we were preparing at UW-Madison’s “Swarm to Table: Cooking with Insects Workshop.”
I was skeptical, to say the least, but I joined the line of eager students awaiting the insect taste test in a basement kitchen of Babcock Hall. I watched the brave soul at the front of the line. She shook her head slightly as if to say “Here goes nothing!” before popping the insect into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. After a moment, her frown shifted to a wide grin and her eyes opened wide as she beckoned her friends over to follow suit. When it was my turn, I opted for the tiny black ants, which Yoon had described as “insect caviar.” As I tentatively placed them on my tongue, the sharp flavor citrus bombarded my senses immediately. Overpowering and savory, it was unlike anything I could have imagined. I had just experienced my first taste of an insect, and I was immediately ready to try more.
I was just beginning to discover what much of the world already knows – insects can be delicious. While the western world still struggles to embrace the insect diet, they are a common staple for many regions across the world.
“We as a human race have been eating insects from the beginning of time,” explains Yoon. “The western world stigmatized that practice, but in fact 80% of the world’s nations already eat edible insects. It’s not this marginalized, apocalyptic food source.”
Today, the United Nations endorses edible insects as a way to combat food scarcity and promote sustainability. In 2010, the U.N. recruited entomologist Arnold van Huis as a consultant on edible insects, and three years later he was the lead author of their Farming and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report on the future prospects of edible insects. Van Huis, an emeritus professor from Wageningen University, says that western society needs to overcome the “disgust factor” which is deeply rooted in the culture. He is pleased, however, with some of the progress in recent years. He says, “The FAO book was the game changer. It was no longer a peculiar consumer habit by people in developing countries, but it was now worldwide realized that it is a sustainable option also for people in western countries.”
The sustainability of insects is a crucial take on the argument. With the U.N.’s predictions of world population climbing to over 9.7 billion by 2050, the need for sustainable, reliable food sources is a serious issue. According to the U.N., edible insects may be a solution.
Nutritionally, insects provide a source of protein, good fats, and minerals – all at a lower environmental cost compared to traditional livestock. One of the greatest reductions is in the amount of feed required to raise insects. Because insects are cold blooded, they require significantly less food to maintain their body temperature. For every 1 kg of live-weight, a cow has to be fed 10 kg of feed whereas crickets only require 1.7 kg. If you also take into account the percentage of the animal that is suitable for human consumption, the benefit of insects becomes even more apparent. While only 40% of a cow is edible and digestible, the value doubles to nearly 80% for a cricket. Based on these comparisons to cattle, crickets are 12 times more efficient in converting feed to meat.
This efficiency in feed conversion becomes apparent when comparing the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) insects produce compared to traditional livestock. Some of the common western insect species, such as mealworms, crickets, and locusts, produce less GHGs compared to swine or beef – at a factor of nearly 100. With a record like that, edible insects may not only be the answer to food scarcity but to reducing global climate change as well. The best part is that the acceptance of edible insects does not have to be a drastic one.
“What if you were to eat edible insects once a week? Even that would have a tremendous impact on our environment. That is what we are trying to do, to normalize edible insects, to raise awareness and appreciation for them,” said Yoon.
Yoon founded Brooklyn Bugs in 2017 with this mission of raising awareness and appreciation for edible insects through educational programming and exposure. He acknowledges that his work is part of a very personal movement, a way of “disrupting the comfort zone of what people have to do every day: we all eat.” Despite the cultural disregard for edible insects in the western world, Yoon has already developed quite a following. His work has been featured on the Smithsonian Channel, New York Times, NPR, Live with Kelly and Ryan, Forbes, and the list continues to grow. Yoon is currently traveling on a Spring College Tour where he is spreading his knowledge of cooking edible insects with students across the country. Dr. Susan Paskewitz, the Chair of the Entomology Department at UW-Madison, describes her favorite insect dish, a macaroni and cheese with silkworm pupae, as “out of this world!” The recipe comes from Chef Yoon himself.
There are, however, some things to be cautious of before jumping into the edible insect movement yourself. If you have shellfish allergies, you should stay away. Many insect exoskeletons have a protein, called chitin, which is also found in many crustaceans. Additionally, you need to know that your insects are coming from a safe, sustainable source. People who self-harvest insects from the wild are at risk for exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. Even if you don’t use pesticides yourself, insects are mobile creatures and may not be safe to eat.
“It is a great misconception that you can just pick up a bug and eat it,” explains Yoon. “These insects are farmed and harvested for human consumption.”
Yoon has no doubt that the edible insects are going to be the future. “Edible insects are going to be hyper accelerated. I really believe in five to ten years it will be widely accepted and available at grocery stores. The fact that it is sustainable and nutritious...we’re all going to be eating bugs,” says Yoon.
And after tasting those mealworm brownies, I would have to agree.
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