The emergence of insects as a form of alternative protein in many ways provides the best of both worlds. While they are, unlike some plant-based alternatives, very high in protein, they are also far more sustainable to produce than traditional meat.
For example, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), insect farming requires lower levels of water and land use than cattle. A 2010 study suggested insects are connected to a mere 1% of the greenhouse gas emissions ruminants are. In terms of their protein content, one researcher suggested that crickets contain nearly three times the protein content of beef.
However, there at least one obvious barrier to their mass adoption: disgust.
How can producers of insect protein combat these levels of disgust? Previous studies have suggested increasing consumer familiarity with insects, as well as incorporating them in familiar food forms such as flour – for use in food formulation – could help.
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Lauren McGale, lead author of the research, agreed. “Thinking about ways to overcome the disgust people feel is a difficult task. I think social norms and exposure could play a role, whereby the more commonplace eating insects becomes, the more accepting people may be of it as a ‘normal’ practice – especially considering they are already eaten in many cultures around the world,” she told FoodNavigator.
