Reactions to the insect-filled burger range from sheer fascination to utter disgust, with many questioning its taste and ethics.
The internet’s love affair with strange foods continues as YouTubers and social media users push culinary boundaries. However, a recent video featuring a Chinese man enjoying a burger overflowing with insects has sparked a heated online debate.
Bizarre food challenges are common, but this burger has captured viewers’ attention like never before. Comments range from curiosity to revulsion. One user commented, “Who all is getting vomited after seeing this? Please like it.” Another asked, “I don’t know why, when humans have so many natural foods to eat, they eat insects and animals.” A third added, “That is the most disgusting sandwich I have ever seen.”
This video might lose its shock value soon, as mealworms are poised to enter the global culinary scene. Approved by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) in 2021, these yellow grubs can now be used whole and dried in dishes like curries. They can also be ground into flour for making biscuits, pasta, and bread. Despite being called “worms,” mealworms are beetle larvae already used in Europe as an ingredient in pet food.
Rich in protein, fat, and fibre, mealworms will likely be the first of many insects on Europe’s plates in the coming years. The EU agency assessed mealworms under a “novel food” regulation that took effect in 2018, triggering a flood of similar applications.
