Beetle larvae, known as mealworms, may soon replace chicken, beef, pork and milk, as these are seen as a sustainable alternative. A research at the Wageningen University in Netherlands analysed if insects really might be a more sustainable food source than livestock.
It was an attempt to study the environmental impact in the production chain for two species, mealworms and super worms. The research panel considered all the detail on how mealworms are farmed, including the larvae’s diet — fresh carrots and a mixed grain feed. The environmental impact of the cardboard egg cartons employed in the production process was also taken into consideration.
The research suggested that shifting global diets away from the usual livestock, the cultivation of which use 70% of agricultural land and is responsible for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, towards lower impact animal species might help save environment.
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