Cockroach Bread That ‘Tastes Like Peanuts’ Could End World Hunger, Prevent Global Warming

How far would people go to save the world from hunger and climate change? A group of Brazilian researchers has an interesting solution that could solve world hunger and global warming. The scientists have made a special bread that is reportedly cost-efficient and delicious at the same time. But are people truly ready to eat cockroach bread?

The researchers at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG) have proposed adding cockroaches into bread for a high protein snack. However, these critters are not the usual cockroach you might find running around in your home. According to Lauren Mengon, the Nauphoeta cinerea or “lobster roaches” are bred in captivity and are only fed fruits and vegetables.

The scientists used speckled cockroaches for their special bread.

Picky eaters don’t need to worry about having to pick a cockroach leg off their teeth. The researchers at FURG pulverize the insects before adding them to the bread mix. In addition to that, researcher Myrian Melado claims that the roaches are actually yummy.

“Cockroaches taste like nuts, that is, they remind us of chestnut or peanut. They’re really good and tasty, and [their presence] does not affect the flavor of the bread,” Melado said.

The harvested cockroaches are turned into powder before they are added to the batter.

Is cockroach bread the best option to end world hunger and global warming? According to Melado, insects are a healthier option to cattle breeding. After all, cows consume a staggering amount of feed and their waste play a major role in global warming. Making cockroaches the world’s major source of protein could have a major impact on climate change.

Cockroach bread is also easy to produce. Melado states that the lobster roaches mature in 75 days.

“They take less time to grow, [as] the Cinerea cockroach we use takes an overall of 75 days from the first stage until the last,” Melado said.

The scientists of FURG sample some freshly-made cockroach bread.

The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is certainly open to making cockroach bread the solution to world hunger.

“On average, insects can convert 2kgs (4.4lb) of feed into 1kg of insect mass, whereas cattle require 8kg of feed to produce 1kg of body weight gain,” FAO said in a statement.

Watch how cockroach bread is made.