If you are easily grossed out by bugs, then this trend may leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
Entomilk is a milk alternative made from insects, said to be rich, creamy and high in nutrients.
The name is derived from the term entomophagy, the practice of eating insects.
The Washington Post reports that at least two billion people around the world are already eating insects as part of their diet, according to the 2013 report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Some scientists are calling cockroach milk the new superfood.
Cape Town company, Gourmet Grubb has produced ice cream with Entomilk. Co-founders Jean Louwrens and Leah Bessa aim to change the way people perceive eating insects.
On their website they explain that the milk is made from sustainable farmed insects.
“Eating insects as is or in powdered form is a tad boring… Therefore we use Entomilk to make our delicious ice cream!
“Think of Entomilk as a sustainable, nature-friendly, nutritious, lactose free, delicious, guilt-free dairy alternative of the future.”
🍶First bottle of #organic #freerange #CockroachMilk door delivered 😋 😍 #hipster #food #love #yummy
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What better way to tempt people into trying something new, than with a sweet treat?
The ice cream comes in three flavours – peanut butter, chocolate and chai.
Bessa, who has a Masters of Science Degree in food safety and quality assurance, says the idea is to create an insect-based product that changes the way people think.
“We want to create a product people would willingly adopt into their lifestyle and diet,” she says.
“The motivation for using insects as a food source was twofold.
"On the one hand we wanted to find a food source that could sustain the growing population, while having a minimal impact on the environment.
"And on the other hand, we wanted something that was naturally nutritious.”
Bessa says people are beginning to move away from dairy due to a rise in lactose intolerance, the animal welfare issues surrounding dairy farming and “the huge negative impact” dairy farming has on the environment.
“The ice cream was developed as a vehicle to introduce the concept to the market in a fun and enticing way,” she says.
People’s reaction to the gogga-based milk has been varied and, as expected, many are still trying to wrap their heads around this unusual concept.
Gourmet Grubb introduced their product to audiences at the Design Indaba in Cape Town.
“The reaction is mostly one of surprise and amazement,” says Bessa.
“But eating ice cream comes pretty naturally to most people, so it’s really helped break down the barriers people have when it comes to eating insects.”
As eating patterns change and people seek healthier alternatives, Bessa believes this is a trend to watch.
“Consumers are becoming more aware of what goes into their food. This is creating a demand for products and meals that are honest, nutritious and have far less refined ingredients.”
Bessa believes the biggest food trend in the coming decades will be people eating far fewer meat based products.
“We believe Entomilk can be used as a substitute in most forms of cuisine. We’re still researching the best ways to incorporate it into our everyday diet,” she says.
“Products such as cheese and yoghurt are our next targets and we’ll be making them available as soon as we’ve dotted our i’s and
crossed all our t’s.”
For details, visit gourmetgrubb.com
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