The Not Good Grub Guide

The World Economic Forum, that seemingly benign yet powerful group of global ‘elites’ who meet every year in Davos to decide on our fate are increasingly pushing their climate agenda upon us. One of the most alarming eco narratives that has come to our attention is the drive to push insect consumption on us all.

According to “Meticulous Research” the ‘edible insect’ market is projected to reach $9.6 billion by 2030. Apparently, the growth of the insect market is propelled by rising greenhouse gas emissions as a result of livestock and poultry industries, the high nutritional value of insects, and the ‘supposed’ positive environmental impact of farming them. That old joke, ‘waiter there’s a fly in my soup’ takes on a whole new meaning when World Economic Forum (WEF) leader, Klaus Schwab, and his supporters get involved, instead of being repulsed by this, the elites believe we should embrace the idea of insects in our food chain and believe that before long we will be voluntarily munching on bugs for the greater good.

While insects are considered to be harmful infestations by environmental health standards if found in food production areas and should be exterminated due to public health risks, the WEF will have us believe that by eating these bugs, we will actually save the planet. The WEF tells us, per kilo of live weight, insects release less harmful gas than conventional livestock and consume fewer resources. How wonderful! In that case fetch me a dish of your finest Cajun spiced crickets! It’s no surprise, however, that Meticulous Research have concerns that the psychological & ethical barriers of consuming insects, along with the risk of allergies, may hinder market growth. Additionally, they state a lack of awareness regarding the benefits of insect consumption is likely to remain a challenge for growth in the grub market, all with good reason in our opinion and, not surprisingly, we have serious concerns too.

This may all sound like a crazy notion but, no way should we ever be subjected to some sort of “bushtucker trial”. Well, I hate to burst that bubble, because it’s already happening! According to a popular online news source, Acheta Domesticus, more commonly known as the house cricket, has been certified for use in food production within the European Union. Don’t be fooled into thinking it will be a simple choice between starters; will I order the Korean style chicken wings or the teriyaki grasshopper skewers? It’s really not that straightforward. The partially defatted powder of Acheta Domesticus has been approved for food producers to add to numerous food products.

The list is extensive and includes meat products such as burgers and sausages, pizza and pasta-based products, sauces, crisps, crackers, breadsticks, cereal and other snack bars. Additionally, bug protein is being added to processed potato and vegetable dishes, multigrain bread products, whey powder, maize flour, beers, chocolate confectionery as well as dairy alternatives. It is concerning that many of these items may previously have been suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Will the manufactures ensure this information is clear to those consumers or will we all be expected to read the fine print?

The “Davos groupies” state another benefit of consuming these creatures is the reduced risk of transmitting zoonotic diseases from consuming bugs but, hold up, haven’t we just come out of a global pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 due to humans consuming exotic food items generally considered unpalatable to most of us? There are serious ethical and welfare questions to be asked here, mainly, are there any hidden dangers to eating these bugs?

The climate obsessives and the dubiously funded mainstream media extol the virtues of bug munching at every opportunity. Even Hollywood is getting in on the act with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek and Justin Timberlake telling us how they regularly snack on crickets, ants, and grasshoppers, whilst Angelina Jolie would have us believe her children regularly snack on crickets as easily as potato chips and have even moved on to tarantulas! These bug eating, virtue signalling climate junkies are preaching to us that in order to save the planet we must do the same.

There is a scarcity of longitudinal research into the risks v benefits of a creepy-crawly diet, perhaps for good reason, yet it is being promoted to such an extent as to nudge fundamental change in the Western diet. We do not and cannot know the long-term risks to our health (where have we heard that before?). We are told other nations happily eat bugs as part of their diet, and there’s the crux! There are any number of reasons why other countries consume bugs, from cultural to religious beliefs and poverty, where people may have eaten insects for no other reason than simply survival. Their digestive systems will have learnt to adapt over time. Does this justify pursuing the production of novel insect-based foods and introducing them into our food chain without detailed research into their safety and efficacy? We don’t believe it does.

This raises the question, are insects safe to be consumed as part of a western diet, can our digestive systems cope, how will entomophagy affect our gut microbiota, not to mention the unknown life-threatening risks associated with allergens? Insects are vectors of bacteria and fungi which release mycotoxins that then can be released into what or whoever consumes them. Notifiable zoonotic diseases are not unusual and, given recent events, consuming novel insect food items could lead to serious public health consequences. It is also worth noting that insects are eaten in their entirety and can ingest and transmit a variety of harmful microorganisms, especially if farming hygiene conditions are poor. The microbiota of insects is a complex network encompassing several anatomical parts and microbes can enter via farming methods throughout the life-cycle. It is unlikely that manufacturing processes can remove the digestive tract and purifying small insects may prove problematic which means consuming the insect’s bacteria, parasites, and faeces. As a result, there is a clear risk of Zoonotic infections being transmitted to humans and in animal feed.

Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium, Salmonella, and Campylobacter are among a number of bacteria linked to human and animal transmission in wild and farmed edible insects. Several spore forming bacteria such as Bacillus Cereus have been observed in farmed locusts, crickets and mealworms. This is problematic due to the heat resistant abilities of bacterial spores, which can withstand high cooking temperatures risking multiplication of surviving toxins, if proper cooling methods are not employed.

There is also the serious adverse allergen risk associated with crustaceans, which most shelled insects are related to. There is nothing to suggest crustacean allergies are any less severe than other allergens such as tree nuts. Indeed, a 2018 study of the prevalence of entomophagy and related allergies in a North-Eastern Thai population found approximately 21% of those eating insects reported allergic reactions. It is also not unknown for animals to be affected by allergens. This drive to force feed us insects is very real and if the products are added to pet foods and animal feeds, without proper research, the consequences could be catastrophic.

While the idea of entomophagy may be applauded by the climate change enthusiasts, others would be forgiven for questioning why we are not addressing the irrefutable issue of surplus food waste. Approximately 1.3 billion tons of food suitable for human consumption is wasted globally each year, and in 2018 there was an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food waste in the UK alone. UK child food insecurity has doubled to almost 4 million since the pandemic, the Trussell Trust distributed 1.3 million food parcels between 1st April and 30th September 2022, an increase of 52% on 2019 figures. This only paints part of the picture as IFAN, the Independent Food Aid Network, suggests that in addition to Trussell Trust food banks, there are approximately 1,172 independent food banks across the UK, as well as Salvation Army and school food provisions. While food bank use has reached an all-time high, an excess of food production and supply within the food chain results in perfectly good food being sent to landfill. Such excessive waste consequently creates methane gas production that is 20 times more potent than other greenhouse gases. Household food waste accounts for a large amount of landfill, however, manufacturers must take responsibility for over-producing food items. It is abundantly clear that we have enough food to feed the population, the problem lies with inequitable distribution.

A 2021 wrap report stated £30 million of two important crops, strawberry and lettuce, ended up as waste (9% of strawberry production and 19% of lettuces grown). Supermarkets happily dispose of pallets of edible food items simply because the packaging is slightly damaged or mislabelled, refusing to send such items to foodbanks and instead sending to landfill. Mass manufacturing of palatable food items not only creates wasted food, it also wastes energy, water, transport costs and packaging. Insect burgers will not solve the excesses of manufacturers and retailers who are clearly making so much profit that such food waste bothers them not one jot, and all the while they are happy to lay the “eco blame” at the consumers door.

It is not difficult to follow a vegetarian or plant-based diet if you so choose. However, living in a liberal democracy means we have freedom of choice. We can care greatly for our planet but equally we must care for our people, animals and the land we inhabit. Regardless of your thoughts on a diet of bugs and grubs, this novel food product must always remain a matter of choice and the ideology of net zero should not come at the cost of human life and our right to choose a healthy diet of fresh meat, fish, dairy, fruit, vegetables and wholegrains that have sustained us for millennia. The Alliance for Democracy and Freedom oppose this fundamental cultural shift being forced upon us and instead choose to stand by our UK food producers, farming, and fishing industries, simultaneously challenging the immense food waste created by manufacturers.