成人大片

Researchers at the 成人大片 are embarking on a new study to develop more accurate and consumer friendly descriptions for one of the most sustainable and high protein food sources on the planet, edible insects.

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鈥檚 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.

鈥泪苍 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."Ishka Bless, 成人大片 PhD student.

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.

成人大片 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.

鈥淥ne of these barriers is a lack of Western consumer experience with insects as food.鈥�

鈥淲e can often feel hesitant about trying new foods because we don鈥檛 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 鈥榩est鈥� and 鈥榗reepy crawly鈥�.

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

鈥淗owever, the flavours and textures of edible insects aren鈥檛 currently well described for consumer and industry use.鈥�

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 成人大片鈥檚 Waite campus in March and April.

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

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鈥檚 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.

鈥泪苍 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,鈥� Ms Bless said.

鈥淪o 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.鈥�

More information about participating in the edible insect tasting panel for this study can be found on the .