Free Republic

NEW ORLEANS — As the nation prepares for trillions of red-eyed bugs known as periodical cicadas to emerge, it's worth noting that they're not just annoying, noisy pests — if prepared properly, they can also be tasty to eat. Blocks away from such French Quarter fine-dining stalwarts as Antoine's and Brennan's, the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans has long served up an array of alternative, insect-based treats at its “Bug Appetit” cafe overlooking the Mississippi River. “Cinnamon Bug Crunch,” chili-fried waxworms, and crispy, cajun-spiced crickets are among the menu items. Periodical cicadas stay buried for years, until they surface and...

Jiminy Cricket may be able to do more than guide our consciences: he, or his kin, may also provide food security solutions for a growing and hungry world. However, the notion of insects-as-food struggles to find widespread traction amid problems with standardization of food safety standards, government disinterest and only a small body of research. So is there a future for cricket sushi or fried silk worms?

Spain: Mutant cockroaches pose health risks Image of a cockroach. Credit: chaipanya/Shutterstock.com Recent findings suggest a disturbing trend in the genetic alterations of cockroaches, directly linked to ongoing climate changes. So far in 2024, Spain has reported a significant rise in cockroach infestations, with incidents increasing by 33 per cent compared to the previous year. Experts, including Jorge Galvan, director of the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (Anecpla), attribute this surge to the record temperatures that are accelerating the metabolic cycles of these pests, notably the Germanic cockroach, commonly found in homes and food-related businesses. Most Read on Euro...

Open Your Mind, and Your Mouth You might think of eating insects as something kids do on a dare. But some of these little animals are popular around the world for their nutritional value -- and they’re starting to catch on in the U.S. Not long ago, sushi and lobster didn’t seem all that appetizing to Americans, so it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.

The last time Brood XIX and Brood XIII emerged from underground at the same time, Thomas Jefferson was president.

EVER EATEN A spider? The golden orb-weaving spider (Nephila edulis) has a plump abdomen that, after baking, tastes remarkably like pâté. Many years ago I fed one to a journalist on A Current Affair. She was very reluctant to chew it but agreed about the taste. The scientific name of this spider celebrates its culinary merits. French naturalist Jacques Labillardiere bestowed the name in 1799 after seeing the spiders roasted and eaten in New Caledonia. Other species of Nephila are eaten in Thailand, served raw as well as cooked, as well as in New Guinea, where they’re fire-roasted. About...

The future of food is definitely at stake, and uber wealthy “philanthropists” influence food systems in concerning ways. Let us be clear—consuming insect-based foods comes with potential health risks. These risks are primarily related to food safety and the presence of allergens or toxins in some insects. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted several food safety issues associated with edible insects, including: Pathogens. Insects can harbor bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can risk human health if not properly handled or cooked. Allergens. Some insects contain allergens that can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Toxins. Certain insects may contain...

A new restaurant in Finsbury Park boasts burratas, rarebit and tacos – all made with crickets. But is insect protein really the future?With jaunty yellow branding, moody lighting and the promise of ‘small plates’, Yum Bug, a new restaurant in Finsbury Park, north London, might be any trendy rollout. In fact, it is one of a kind. Yum Bug advertises itself as ‘Britain’s first permanent edible insect restaurant’. Rather than lamb, tofu or fish, Yum Bug uses crickets for its protein. Inside, brave pioneers eat dishes including Welsh rarebit made with minced cricket, burrata with whole roasted crickets, even pulled...

Trillions of cicadas will emerge across several U.S. states this spring in an event one expert dubbed "cicada-geddon." Not only are more cicadas than usual expected this year, but some of them will be "zombie cicadas" that are infected by a sexually transmitted fungus that makes them hyper-sexual. Periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground and only emerge after 13 or 17 years. This year, two broods of cicadas will emerge: Brood XIX, which comes out every 13 years, will emerge in the Georgia and Southeast, and Brood XIII, which emerges every 17 years, will appear in Illinois. With...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WJW) — A Florida man is reportedly healing after a horrific amount of bugs were pulled from his nasal and sinus passages earlier this month. “Over a couple hours my face just started swelling, my lips swelled, I could hardly talk,” the patient told WTLV in Florida. “My whole face felt like it was on fire.” The patient, who was not identified, went to a nearby hospital for constant nose bleeds and pain, according to the TV station. What the ear nose and throat doctor on call found by looking inside the man’s nose, was like something out...

Producing enough food for a growing world population is an urgent global challenge. And it’s complicated by the fact that climate change is warming the Earth and making farming harder in many places. Food production is a big contributor to climate change, so it’s critically important to be able to measure greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector accurately. In a new study, we show that the food system generates about 35% of total global man-made greenhouse gas emissions

Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis) (Zoos Victoria) Only 20 to 30 'tree lobsters' remain in the wild. This single fragile population was rediscovered in 2001 after the insects were presumed extinct for 80 years. These wild Lord Howe Island stick insects (Dryococelus australis) currently cling to their precarious existence on a near-vertical volcanic outcrop called Ball's Pyramid. Now, San Diego Zoo is inviting visitors to see the extraordinary, extinction-defying Australian animals in person. Prone to catastrophic weather events and landslides, Ball's Pyramid is not exactly a safe place for a critically endangered species. Here there's only one species...

A lead United Nations agency overseeing food and agriculture policy is expected to issue a road map in the coming weeks which will call on the West, including America, to dramatically reduce its meat consumption. The UN's Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) will publish its so-called global food systems’ road map during the upcoming COP28 climate summit in Dubai which will kick off on Thursday and extend nearly two weeks until mid-December. FAO's first-of-its-kind document will recommend nations that "over-consume meat" to limit their consumption as part of a broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Bloomberg reported.

Tyson Foods announced it had invested in insect-protein supplier Protix and plans to build a partnership US production facility. “The American meatpacker said Tuesday that it agreed to buy a stake in Dongen, Netherlands-based Protix BV to help fund its expansion. The companies will also form a joint venture to build and operate a US facility that will produce bug-based meal and oil, which are typically used in fish feed and dog food. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed,” Bloomberg reported. The meat giant did not disclose the size of its minority stake it has taken in Protix. Protix...

New research found that replacing traditional proteins with mealworms in high-fat diets for mice could offer numerous health benefits including reduced weight gain and improved cholesterol. While there’s hesitation in Western societies about insect consumption, it’s an environmentally sustainable protein source. With the world’s population on the rise and climate change intensifying, there’s an increasing need for sustainable protein alternatives. While plant-based “meat” and “dairy” have gained popularity, they’re not the sole green alternatives to traditional meat. Research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, conducted on mice, indicates that substituting conventional protein sources with mealworms in high-fat diets could slow...

That global elites are pushing us to eat insects instead of fish, pigs, cows, and chicken to “save the climate” is a “right-wing conspiracy theory,” as National Public Radio recently called it. And those pushing the idea are “right-wing conspiracy theorists,” most likely “anti-Semites” or “4 Chan” nutters. But a funny thing happened on the way to the cricket farm. NPR’s editors forgot that years of “we-must-eat-insects” propaganda preceded NPR’s latest smear of normal people who don’t relish consuming arthropods. Ditto for other media reports. Some say the plan to force us to eat mealworms is a “conspiracy.” Others say...

In a joint statement, representatives from nations involved in the anti-farming pact celebrated the agreement. “Food systems are responsible for 60% of methane emissions,” said Marcelo Mena, CEO of Global Methane Hub. “We congratulate countries willing to take the lead in food systems methane mitigation and confirm our commitment to support this type of initiative with programs that explore promising methane mitigation technologies and the underpinning research of methane mitigation mechanisms to create new technologies.” “Mitigating methane is the fastest way to reduce warming in the short term,” said U.S. “Climate Czar” John Kerry. The news comes as unelected bureaucratic...

The average person accidentally consumes one pound of bugs each year, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is because fruits, vegetables, spices and many processed foods are legally permitted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to contain tiny levels of bug parts, which add up over time. For example, fig paste can contain up to 13 insect heads in 100 grams, canned fruit juices can have a maggot for every 250 milliliters and 10 grams of hops used to make beer can be the home for 2,500 small sap-sucking insects. And while there is much debate...

Insect farming startup Ynsect has secured €160 million (roughly $175 million), but it has also laid off about 70 employees, or 20% of its workforce, in a bid to tackle rising costs. The Paris-based company plans to use the funds to shift away from breeding insects for animal feed to target more lucrative markets such as pet food and ingredients. Ynsect said the pivot will reduce rising energy and materials costs. The startup will close its production facility in the Netherlands, which it acquired with the purchase of mealworm ingredients company Protifarm in 2021, Bloomberg reported. European agtech startups have...

The nation's leading industry group representing U.S. beef producers blasted Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he announced an effort earlier this week to push plant-based meals. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), which represents cattlemen and affiliate organizations across all 50 states, accused Adams of misleading on the carbon footprint and emissions profile of the American meat industry. The group noted that beef cattle represent a small fraction of nationwide emissions. "It’s easy for Mayor Adams to lob attacks at beef, anything that makes for better headlines than ‘Meet NYC’s Rat Czar,’ but the reality is that...