You've probably heard of exotic countries frying and roasting insects as a source of protein. It might not be your cup of tea but soon insects could become a sustainable diet.
A Mexican scientist working at a Dutch lab has found a reason for insects to be used as cooking oil, fat and even salad dressing.
Researcher Daylan Tzompa-Sosa, who works at the University of Wageningen, has recently discovered that insect oil was rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for a healthy body. The insect oil was a by-product from insects being turned into powder. Insect powder is often used as a protein powder for protein-rich milkshakes.
Tzompa-Sosa explains that the by-product is already an oil, similar to virgin oil. She adds that she can use the oil to dress her salad or even use it for frying.
Insects that were used in her experiments are mealworms, roaches, beetle larvae and grasshoppers. While processing, she mentioned that most insects have a pleasant or neutral smell except for one:
...that is the cockroach, that smells very bad, it smells very bad even when you are processing the animal.
She hopes this will become a constant for a sustainable diet. A sustainable diet is a culturally acceptable, economical and affordable way to gain nutrition for health by using natural and human resources.
Processing the oil is environmentally friendly. It is now being seen that insect oil can become an alternative to fish, where we already get our Omega-3. Fish is already in danger of depletion and pollution poisoning.
It is not long now when this solution can become a greater possibility because populations continue to grow and has affected social, economic and environmental concerns.
Reports indicated, she is already planning to work with scientists such as bio-experts to analyze breeding, processing and diet of the insects for the Omega-3 rich oil.
