[Arirang TV]Insects: The future of food? Analysis

 

Title: Insects: The future of food? Analysis

 

If you have seen the movie, 'Snowpiercer' you'll probably remember that passengers riding in the last car on the train sustain themselves on brown gelatinous bars, simply referred to as protein bars. It is later revealed these protein blocks are made of mashed cockroaches.

Yes, it's sci-fi, but something similar may become reality in the very near future.

 

Ending world hunger is a lofty goal.

The United Nations estimates that 870 million people worldwide are uncertain about their food supplies right now.

But according to various academics and biological engineers around the world, insects just be one solution to this massive problem.

 

One academic has put forth this idea here in Korea, and he says insects are what will save the global population of 9 billion by the year 2050.

And, in light of the World Food Day, which is tomorrow, October 16th he joins us live in the studio - Dr. Kim Eun-ki, professor of biological engineering at Inha University.

Professor Kim, welcome to the program.

 

 

 

The thought of eating insects like maggots, beetles, caterpillars and ants gives some of us the creeps, but a United Nations report says they may the food of the future.

Tell us more about this idea.

 

Are insects edible? I mean, let's take a look at the health or nutritional aspects of insects as meals. What are the nutritional values of insects?

 

I was surprised to find out that there are already a number of insects that have been approved as proper food sources by authorities. What are they, and will there be any additions to that list in the near future?

 

I would assume that one of, if not the largest barrier to the adoption of insects as viable sources of protein in many countries, especially Western ones is consumer disgust in seeing insects on our dinner plates. How could this be dealt with?

 

Now, recently one start-up, mostly made up of students from McGill University in Canada, proposed an idea to tackle this challenge head-on and their business model of harvesting a variety of insects year-round and processing the insects into food products.

It won the 2013 Hult Prize and secured 1-million dollars in capital investment.

So, different ideas are on the horizon in order to make this insect-eating habit more attractive for consumers. What's your outlook on insects becoming a daily meal for humans in the near future?

 

Dr. Kim Eun-ki, Professor of Biological Engineering at Inha University thanks ever so much for speaking with us this evening. We appreciate it.