With a whole world still to be exploited a lot in the most alimentary sense and later, also gastronomic, surprising investigations like this keep coming back to us. A insect butter, that's right, you're reading well. From the Ghent University of Belgium, a study has wanted to experiment with this product born of a very particular bug: the black soldier fly. A version of the product of animal origin that could become an interesting substitute for the traditional one in the future. In addition, with the advantage of being healthy and much more sustainable for the environment, by serving as raw material the larval fat of said flying insect. Here we tell you more about this new research.
Would you know how to differentiate a product according to its origin?
This is the question that those in charge of working in the study have asked themselves. The objective was to check whether consumers were able to distinguish between a animal butter and an insect butter. For this purpose, three different pastry products were baked: cookies, cakes and even Belgian waffles. In any case, different recipes were followed, varying the amount of certain ingredients as the one that mattered the most. Thus, some sweets were made with up to 100% traditional butter, others with 25% of that which came from the insect's fat and a last one with 50-50.
Once those succulent delicacies are obtained, more than 100 participants in the experiment they tested the three versions cited and later gave their opinion on the differences they had noticed. Had they detected any strange, disgusting or tasteless taste? The answer was close to the success of the entire trial: did not perceive different or unpleasant flavors neither in the cakes nor in the waffles with some amount of insect butter. But it is that neither the texture nor the color had been affected. Therefore, a resounding victory in the study that opens doors for a future with this product from Diptera.
Different taste in cookies
Interestingly, only in the case of cookies that sweet lovers found something different, in particular the flavor of those that were made with the insect butter. However, in no case was that taste identified with something negative, but rather positive. Another plus point for this innovative food that still has a long way to go, of course, within the context of these edible critters. The authors of the research have already explained it: "At present, the price is still too high because the production of insects is produced on a small scale."
Maybe in a few years, this fat from black soldier fly larvae integrated into the butter recipe may "allow greater acceptance in Western countries." And it is that here in Europe, what to eat grasshoppers, crickets, or worms does not attract the consumer with enthusiasm.
Sustainable gambling with bug butter
One of the advantages of producing this type of food is directly related to the sustainability and the reduction of pollutions to the planet. Because from the insect farming in large quantities until use in the kitchen, "the ecological footprint is much smaller compared to animal food sources." So he considers it Daylan Tzompa-Sosa, co-author of the research in Bélgica. An incentive very much in line with what is already beginning to be sought in the chain of producing all kinds of products: the least possible environmental impact. We are moving towards a future where both the maintenance of natural resources and the non-destruction of the Earth will be key.
But, in addition to this sustainable commitment, insect butter it is also healthier because the fats of those critters contain lauric acid. This works in favor of food for its greater ease of digestion. On the other hand, said raw material is rich in antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. So, with all the good points, this product could go on the market when the fly farms become a more visible reality. In Europe and even Spain, where Murcia, for example, it can already boast of using these Diptera for food purposes, even if it is for animal feed. Will you get to the big known products later?
