University researchers are planning to feed insects, such as crickets and mealworms, to young students between five and 11 years of age at four elementary schools in Wales in the UK..The kids will be taught that there are advantages to eating insects like grasshoppers, silkworms, locusts, and worms. Chicken nuggets and fish and chips might slide off the menu in favour of bug Bolognese and larvae stir-fry.. WS POLL: Would you eat an insect meal?University researchers in the UK are planning to feed insects such as crickets and mealworms to young students between five and 11 years of age from four elementary schools in Wales. The study aims to gather data and create an understanding of how children feel about meat alternatives and how their attitude to the environment influences how they eat..The protein-alternative study will include plant-based foods and involve edible insects. Progress will be dependent on whether the insects receive Novel Foods approval by the UK’s Food Standards Agency..The project, led by scientists from Cardiff University and the University of the West of England, will also involve conducting surveys on elementary school children to determine what those children’s attitudes are to the environment and how those opinions influence the food they eat..The university academics will use the data to determine how best to convince the upcoming generation and their families about the purported benefits of edible insects, and in turn cut global meat consumption. They believe a change in the eating culture of the West will benefit the environment by reducing meat consumption..The project, which began at the end of May, will also conduct workshops, interviews, and engage focus groups to learn about youngsters’ understanding and experience of alternatives to conventional protein sources..Cardiff University said as part of this research, its team hopes to be able to offer a range of alternative proteins to try, only if children wish to do so..Researchers hope to offer children a product called VeXo, which combines insect and plant-based proteins and it looks like conventional mince..“We are not feeding children locusts and probably not mealworms either,” said Dr. Christopher Bear, from Cardiff University’s School of Geography and Planning. “What we do will depend on post-Brexit Novel Foods legislation. But alongside potentially offering edible insects, plant-based protein products will be offered too.".A 2020 study by the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed found nine million European consumers already consumed insects in 2019. This is expected to increase to 390 million by 2030..“We want the children to think about alternative proteins as real things for now, rather than just as foods for the future, so trying some of these foods is central to the research,” said Bear..“Although edible insects are ... not sold widely in the UK, they form part of the diet of around two-billion people worldwide.”.“Much of this is in parts of the world where they are part of long-standing culinary traditions. And they are increasingly popular elsewhere,” Bear said..Verity Jones, of the University of West of England in Bristol, is behind the study and extolled the virtues of an insect diet, “Everyone eats insects everyday — there [are] over 30 parts of bugs in every 100g of chocolate … bread, fruit juices, hops … you name it, you’re eating insects,’ she said..Those insects are the result of manufacturing and transport contamination and the EU permits certain levels in processed food production, as does Canada..“All research for adults and children indicates whole insects are off-putting, but ground-up insects within foods are very acceptable,” Jones said. “No one likes the idea of having a crunchy bit of wing or antenna between their teeth.”.“But, in fact, children were more likely to choose food containing edible insects over usual meat products on a matter of sustainable credentials, if given the option.”.“My research indicates as with adults, boys are more likely to be up for trying the new foods first — but overall, both boys and girls seem to be willing to have a go in equal measure,” she said..The university expects the trial will begin in 2023 and will require the child’s parental consent in writing.
