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From the drinkable Cadbury Crème Egg to grapes that taste like ‘cotton candy’, there’s no shortage of weird and wonderful food creations popping up.
A research and innovation lab affiliated with IKEA is taking food to a level not everyone will be comfortable with, focusing on bugs and algae.
“Alternative ingredients such as proteins from algae, beet leaves, or insects can be used to create customised nutrient mixes that are “printed” on demand to meet the consumers’ aesthetic, cultural, and nutritional preferences,” Ikea announced on their website.
While the natural reaction to this news might be to dry retch, an article published on the Mother Nature Network says it’s “time to get over it.”
“It’s time to stop factoring in the ick factor when we talk about culinary bugs. We need to get over it,” said the publication. “Insects are mainstream fare for people in many other cultures. They’re a viable source of protein that requires significantly less natural resources to produce than animal-based proteins, especially meat from cows. It’s estimated that it takes 1,800 gallons of water to create one pound of beef, but it only takes one gallon of water to create one pound of insect protein.”
So far SPACE10, the research and innovation lab affiliated with IKEA, have tested a crispy bug ball and a bug burger, which is created from beetroot, parsnips, potatoes and mealworms topped with relish, beetroot and blackcurrant ketchup.
Additionally, a dogless hotdog with a bun made using micro-algae spirulina.
Still in the test phase, none of these creations are available in stores yet, but they’re definitely something that could be purchased in the future.
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