German shoppers sample burgers made of worms

[left-of-center2012]

AACHEN, Germany (Reuters) -
Supermarket shoppers in the western German city of Aachen have stepped out of their comfort zone to sample insect burgers made of buffalo worms.

The worms, highly nutritious due to their high protein content, are the larvae of buffalo beetles and are bred in the Netherlands.
Served in rolls with lettuce, onions and tomatoes, they are being offered to customers at a supermarket in Aachen where they have just been added to the stock range after proving successful in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Baris Oezel, one of the founders of the start-up called Bugfoundation that makes the burgers, said he spent four years working on the concept along with company co-founder Max Kraemer.
The pair got the idea after traveling together to southeast Asia, where it is not uncommon to eat insects.

"It's quite simple. You have to create an aesthetic product that looks good and doesn't show any insects," Oezel said, adding that people were attracted by the smell of the burgers. "And we have people who say: You're not seriously doing that?!"

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The Diet of Worms? That was in Germany, too.

[ProudLib72]

10. Heretical I say!

[Adrahil]

11. Well played. NT

[dalton99a]

2. You don't have to hide them

Creamed corn with foie gras and crispy crickets with buckwheat is served at the Aphrodite restaurant in Nice, France, in 2013. DIDIER BAVEREL / Getty Images File

[democratisphere]

3. Give me fruits, vegetables and grains, or give me death!

[Kirk Lover]

4. This is the solution for the future. We just need to get over our cultural barrier to this

and I think the planet would be better off. Any way to cut meat consumption is a win in my book.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. You first...

[OneGrassRoot]

6. I agree. n/t

[meadowlander]

18. This or test tube meat.

I would eat worm burgers if the texture and flavour were good.

I had an ant once but it was absolutely nasty and bitter tasting and the bits got stuck in my throat.

It is kind of a funny cultural barrier. I love shrimp and lobster and they are basically just cockroaches of the sea. If you can find similarly yummy insects and present them well, I think people could eventually get over it.

I would eat a shrimp-quality bug burger before I would eat something grown in a lab.

[Lint Head]

7. Who needs Raid when you can eat your household pests.

A cricket a day keeps the doctor away.

[oberliner]

8. Better than burgers made of ground up cows

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Thanksgiving dinner will be wonderful ...

... one large insect, six drumsticks!

WooHoo!

Carving at table might be challenging when the main course has an exoskeleton.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Here's where I go vegetarian.

No way would I eat that.

[left-of-center2012]

14. I agree 110%

[poboy2]

15. Yep, I'd do that before this. -nt

[backtoblue]

13. Worms are awesome

Great for compost, eating, fishing. I might have to become a worm farmer...

[robbob]

16. I heard about an insect recipe cook off/contest

One of the entrants went full bug; chicken noodle soup with, you guessed it, whole earthworms instead of noodles!

I’ve never looked at chicken noodle soup the same...

[left-of-center2012]

17. May I guess ...

You're no fan of spaghetti?

[robbob]

20. As long as its not moving...

😁

[dembotoz]

19. As we strive to promote planet friendly protein

This stuff is a viable option

If priced right it becomes viable