New research puts bugs to the taste test

Edible insect species are rich in protein and fat, with high micronutrient profiles.

They can therefore be consumed as a staple food, or used as a supplementary source of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.

While the practice of eating insects has been around for thousands of years, it's in recent times as we look for more sustainable food sources that edible insects have come into focus, with many varieties being comparable in protein content to red meat and higher than some plant-based sources.

Yet researchers say there is still a lot of work needed to get consumers on board to integrate edible insects, which include mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers and native ants, into our diets.

University of Adelaide PhD student Ishka Bless says part of the solution lies in better understanding the barriers to eating insects, particularly in western countries, and developing strategies to overcome these.

"One of these barriers is a lack of Western consumer experience with insects as food," she said.

"We can often feel hesitant about trying new foods because we don't know what flavours and textures to expect.

"Having an accurate description of what people can expect when eating insects that have been farmed and prepared for human consumption may help them overcome some of the negative connotations often associated with insects, such as 'pest' and 'creepy crawly'.

"This may also help the food industry better understand how they can incorporate insects in new products and on restaurant menus.

"However, the flavours and textures of edible insects aren't currently well described for consumer and industry use."

Ms Bless said commercially raised edible insects can be more hygienic than the livestock products people commonly eat on a day to day basis.

"They are processed in a food safe environment that meets food standards," she said.

"For example, in Australia, if you are to purchase insects, they will first be harvested and prior to harvesting (the bugs are fasted) and then blanched.

"After blanching - which removes the microbial load - they are then roasted to a moisture content that makes them shelf stable, so as a food product they are very safe to eat.

Ms Bless said it has been good to see over the past couple of years there has been an increase in consumer acceptance of edible insects.

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"There has also been increased media interest in edible insects," she said.

"In the coming five to ten years insects will be consumed more regularly but the key challenge for us now with that increased consumer acceptance is really to make edible insects more accessible in our diet.

"That includes looking at how we prepare them and how we can incorporate them in our everyday meals."

To develop these new descriptions and as part of her PhD, Ms Bless is recruiting taste testers to be involved in tasting and describing a variety of commercially available farm-raised edible insects, including mealworms, house crickets, tyrant ants and green ants, prepared using different cooking techniques.

The tastings will take place at the University of Adelaide's Waite campus in March and April where a sensory descriptive panel made up of participants primarily from the Waite campus involved in food science or different research areas will meet.

"There are others as well, so those who might be interested in sustainability or novel food," Ms Bless said.

The descriptions collected will be used to create a vocabulary and sensory wheel - used to represent the different sensations produced in experiencing a type of food product - to be socialised further in consumer focus groups and with industry.

Ms Bless said the lexicon and sensory wheel they are producing provides a vocabulary that can be used for sensory and consumer research as well as marketing.

"It can also be used for new product development," she said.

"For example, in industry those descriptions can be used to understand how the products taste and how they feel in someone's mouth and that can guide how they can be used in products.

"Also in terms of the food industry it can guide hospitality such as restaurants and they can actually understand what insects taste like and how they can incorporate them on their menu - so there is a lot of benefits there.

"We also see the end use being with consumers themselves - so in terms of marketing, ... we need to understand what it tastes and feels like because at the moment, we are not very familiar with edible insects and because of that we have a sense of disgust and a bit of a misconception of what they might taste like.

"For example, if on a packet of crickets, you understand they are nutty, crunch and might taste a bit like shellfish then you might be more prone to eating them versus if you didn't know what they taste and feel like."

More than two million people worldwide, mostly across Asia and Africa, are currently engaged in entomophagy (the practice of eating insects).

Outside of these regions, the market for edible insects is growing in places such as the Netherlands, France, the UK and Belgium.

In Australia, it's an emerging market.

Some edible insects such as mealworms and crickets are available to purchase online, however because demand is low they are currently expensive to buy.

"In the context of population growth and climate change, a transition to sustainable and resilient food systems will be crucial to future food security, so edible insects may play a significant role in this change, providing an alternative source of protein," Ms Bless said.

"So if we can help to get people more comfortable with insects as a food and ingredient by breaking down some of the barriers, such as better describing the experience of entomophagy, we may be able to help people incorporate a few bugs into their diets."

If you are feeling game, Ms Bless recommends edible insect beginners to start with her top pick - king mealworms or superworms.

"They are a couple centimetres long and a bit thicker than the regular mealworms usually seen in the media," she said.

"They have this great flavour that is a bit more meaty than other edible insects.

"I really enjoy them crushed up on avocado toast - it is one of my favourites."

Ms Bless said if you are considering eating edible insects, have a look online at recipes to get an understanding how you might be able to incorporate them in your diet.