Prior to an insect tasting session held at IDS which included crickets, grasshoppers and worms, a panel of experts discussed their views on the benefits, risks and obstacles that need to be overcome for insects and other novel foods become a common feature of the human diet.
The expert panellists each made a proposition about the future of global food security and the potential role of insects in contributing to that future.
Introduction: Dominic Glover – IDS Research Fellow
Arnold Van Huis – Emeritus Professor of Entomology, Wageningen University, NL
Alexandra Sexton – PhD candidate researching novel foods, King’s College, London
Douglas McMaster – Founder and Chef of Silo, zero waste restaurant & café, Brighton
James Wilsdon – Professor of Science and Democracy, SPRU, University of Sussex
Nick Rousseau – Coordinator of Woven – a network of people working on edible insects in the UK
Q&A and further discussion
Future food scenarios
The discussions and edible insect tasting were the culmination of a two-day workshop where experts came to consider to consider the various scenarios of how to feed the world in the future. To some, insects and novel foods are a big part of that picture. We have captured some of the lively discussions and reactions to the tastings in the storify, including tweets, images & links.