The insect pasta that splits Italians

Credit: Francesco Tosto/BBC

caption,

BBC reporter Sofia Bettiza tasted the cricket pasta

Item Information

  • Author, Sofia Bettiza
  • Rolle, from BBC News in Turin
  • July 14, 2023

    Updated 2 hours ago

Containers containing millions of hopping and chirping crickets are stacked on top of each other on a farm near the Alps in northern Italy.

These crickets will soon become food. The process is simple: they are frozen, cooked, dried and then powdered.

Here at the Italian Cricket Farm, the country’s largest insect farm, nearly a million crickets are processed into food ingredients every day.

Ivan Albano, who runs the farm, opens a container and reveals a light brown flour that can be used to make pasta, bread, pancakes, energy bars and even sports drinks.

Eating crickets, ants and worms has been common in parts of the world for thousands of years.

Now that the European Union (EU) approved the sale of insects for human consumption earlier this year, will there be a change in attitude across Europe?

Nowhere in Europe is there more opposition to food bugs than in Italy, according to data from global pollster YouGov, and the objections come from the top down the government has already taken steps to ban their use in pizza and pasta.

“We will use all means and everywhere to oppose this madness that is impoverishing our agriculture and our culture,” wrote Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Facebook.

But will that all change soon? Several Italian manufacturers have perfected pasta, pizza and cricket snacks.

“What we do here is very sustainable,” says Ivan. “To make one kilogram of cricket powder, we only use about 12 liters of water,” he adds, pointing out that it takes thousands of liters of water to make the same amount of cow protein.

Insect rearing also requires only a fraction of the space required for meat production. With pollution from the meat and dairy industries growing, scientists believe insects may be the key to combating climate change.

At a restaurant near Turin, chef Simone Loddo has adapted his nearly 1,000yearold recipe for fresh pasta the pasta is now made with 15% cricket powder.

The place exudes a strong scent of nuts.

Some of the diners balk at trying the cricket tagliatelle, but those who do myself included are amazed at how good it tastes.

caption,

Cricket tagliatelle served with bacon and zucchini

Besides the taste, cricket powder is a food full of vitamins, fiber, minerals and amino acids. For example, one dish contains more sources of iron and magnesium than a regular steak.

But is this a realistic option for those who want to eat less meat? The main problem is the price.

“If you want to buy cricket food, it gets expensive,” says Ivan. “Crillo flour is a luxury product. It costs around 60 euros (R$323) per kilo. For example, if you take cricket noodles, a pack can cost up to 8 euros (48 R$).”

That is up to eight times more than normal supermarket dough.

Insect feed remains a niche option in western societies for now, as farmers can sell poultry and beef at lower prices.

“The meat I produce is much cheaper than cricket flour and of very good quality,” says Claudio Lauteri, who owns a farm near Rome that has been in the family for four generations.

But it’s not just about the price. It’s about social acceptance.

Across Italy, the number of people living to age 100 or older is increasing rapidly. Many refer to the Mediterranean Diet as the Holy Grail for a healthy lifestyle.

“Italians have been eating meat for centuries. It’s definitely healthy in moderation,” says Claudio.

He believes insectbased foods could pose a threat to Italy’s culinary tradition something universally sacred in this country.

“These products are rubbish,” he says. “We are not used to them, they are not part of the Mediterranean diet. And they can pose a threat to humans: we don’t know what food bugs can do to our bodies.

“I am absolutely against these new foods. I refuse to eat them.”

Credit: Francesco Tosto/BBC

caption,

Claudio Lauteri says foods containing insects pose a threat to the Mediterranean diet

As insect farming increases in Europe, so does hostility to the idea.

The issue has become another point in the Kulturkampf and is mobilizing the radical right.

The EU’s decision to allow insects for human consumption has been described by a member of the farright party, Brothers of Italy, as “verging on madness”.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who described Italy as a “food superpower”, created a ministry for Italianmade products when she was elected, with the declared aim of “preserving tradition”.

“Insect products are hitting the supermarket shelves! Flour, maggots — good, yum,” she said in disgust in a video.

Amid fears that the insects could be associated with Italian cuisine, three government ministers have announced four decrees aimed at cracking down on the practice. “It is important that these flours are not confused with foods produced in Italy,” said Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida.

Credit: Francesco Tosto/BBC

caption,

Chef Simone Loddo serves cricket noodles to spectators

The consumption of insects not only divides opinions in Italy.

It has become a hot topic in Poland ahead of this year’s elections. In March, politicians from the two main parties accused each other of passing policies that would force citizens to eat bugs the leader of the main opposition party, Donald Tusk, branded the government a “worm soup promoter”.

Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands are now more receptive to eating insects. In Austria, dried beetles are eaten as a starter, and Belgians are open to eating beetles in shakes and energy bars, burgers and soups.

“Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of misinformation out there about eating insects,” says Daniel Scognamiglio, who runs the restaurant, which serves cricket tagliatelle.

“I got hate, I got criticized. The food tradition is sacred to many people. They don’t want to change their eating habits.”

But he has noticed a shift and says more people are ordering the cricketbased items on his menu often out of curiosity.

With the world’s population now exceeding eight billion people, there are concerns that the planet’s resources may not be able to meet the food needs of so many people.

According to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, global agricultural production needs to be increased by 70%.

Switching to ecofriendly proteins like insects could become a necessity.

Until now, the possibilities for producing and marketing insect food have been limited. With EU approval, prices are expected to drop significantly as the sector grows.

Ivan says that he already receives many orders for his products from restaurants and supermarkets.

“The impact on the environment is almost zero. We are part of the puzzle that can save the planet.”