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> The primary argument for insect farming is environmental: promoters argue that insects have a smaller resource and carbon footprint than other animals raised

> The primary argument for insect farming is environmental: promoters argue that insects have a smaller resource and carbon footprint than other animals raised for meat. Insects aren't made of meat, they're mostly chitin and lymph. They don't have muscles or blood vessels, turning them into "meat" is not really possible.

napier 5y ago
Mealworms would like a word.
- saltyfamiliar 5y ago
  Mealworms are very highly chitinous and a low quality food source when compared to options like crickets or roaches. Source: I keep insectivorous pets.
  - tomjen3 5y ago
    Do your pets and humans have the same food needs? I had meal worm (fried), and I remember it having an excellent protein/fat ratio.
- hutzlibu 5y ago
  What do they say? That they want to be classified as insects?
chriscool 5y ago
The FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization agency of the United Nations) doesn't quite agree with you on http://www.fao.org/edible-insects/en/ http://www.fao.org/edible-insects/en/: "Edible insects contain high quality protein, vitamins and amino acids for humans. Insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g. crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. Besides, they emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock."
- otabdeveloper4 5y ago
  "Protein" is not meat. Otherwise beans would be meat too.
  - AstralStorm 5y ago
    Therefore, Impossible Burger is not meat. But it tastes close enough right?
    - emptyfile 5y ago
      No
    - NullPrefix 5y ago
      How much estrogen does it have though?
    - YarickR2 5y ago
      No
    - fogihujy 5y ago
      The processed meat alternatives don't really taste close enough. On the contrary, many prefer actual grilled mushrooms or vegetables in their burgers. Personally, I think fried crickets taste much better than Impossible Burger and the ilk.
- vharuck 5y ago
  >twice less than pigs and broiler chickens I'm astounded that pigs and chickens are that efficient compared to crickets. I was thinking efficiency and body mass would have a close-to-linear negative correlation.
throwanem 5y ago
> They don't have muscles or blood vessels They most certainly do. [1] We could argue about whether the hydraulic structures of the wing count as "blood vessels" - probably not for this purpose, inasmuch as they do not really circulate - but muscles, absolutely. I mean, yes, insects are arthropods, and there are a few of those (such as salticids, which anyway are arachnids and not insects) who use hydraulic pressure to power some movements. But even for them, that's a special case; mostly they use muscles to move, just like we do, albeit with a very different style of scaffolding. And, just generally - have you never eaten crab or lobster? What did you imagine you were eating then, if not muscle? Why assume other arthropods would not be constructed in a fashion generally similar to those? [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_physiology#Muscular_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_physiology#Muscular_s...
- koheripbal 5y ago
  You are correct, but the meat is a small percentage of their body weight and cannot be separated out from the rest. So you still cannot create a meat meal with insects.
  - falsaberN1 5y ago
    If there was a bug big enough that you can remove the shell like a shrimp, that'd be nice. I hate the little bits you end up with between your teeth when it's the whole bug roasted or such.
- tsimionescu 5y ago
  > have you never eaten crab or lobster? What did you imagine you were eating then, if not muscle? Why assume other arthropods would not be constructed in a fashion generally similar to those? While you are ultimately right, it should be noted that the arthropods are a huge category of animals, and humans are much closer to fish (taxonomically) than insects are to crabs. In fact, insects and crabs are as close as we are to Tunicates [0]: the same phylum, Chordata for us or Arthropoda for them, but different Subphylums (Vertebrata vs Tunicata for us, Insecta vs Crustacea for them). However, essentially all animals have muscles, from the simplest worms up. Sponges and a few other extremely simplistic animals do lack these, but they are minority exceptions. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunicate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunicate
samus 5y ago
I don't understand the focus on "meat". Most people looking for meat substitutes will get disappointed because the substitutes can't help but taste differently. Which is fine for me as long as the taste is still good.
JohnJamesRambo 5y ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/86zoq9/do_insects_have_muscles_if_so_are_they/ https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/86zoq9/do_insec...

napier 5y ago

Mealworms would like a word.

saltyfamiliar 5y ago
Mealworms are very highly chitinous and a low quality food source when compared to options like crickets or roaches. Source: I keep insectivorous pets.
- tomjen3 5y ago
  Do your pets and humans have the same food needs? I had meal worm (fried), and I remember it having an excellent protein/fat ratio.
hutzlibu 5y ago
What do they say? That they want to be classified as insects?

chriscool 5y ago

The FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization agency of the United Nations) doesn't quite agree with you on http://www.fao.org/edible-insects/en/ http://www.fao.org/edible-insects/en/: "Edible insects contain high quality protein, vitamins and amino acids for humans. Insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g. crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. Besides, they emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock."

otabdeveloper4 5y ago
"Protein" is not meat. Otherwise beans would be meat too.
- AstralStorm 5y ago
  Therefore, Impossible Burger is not meat. But it tastes close enough right?
  - emptyfile 5y ago
    No
  - NullPrefix 5y ago
    How much estrogen does it have though?
  - YarickR2 5y ago
    No
  - fogihujy 5y ago
    The processed meat alternatives don't really taste close enough. On the contrary, many prefer actual grilled mushrooms or vegetables in their burgers. Personally, I think fried crickets taste much better than Impossible Burger and the ilk.
vharuck 5y ago
>twice less than pigs and broiler chickens I'm astounded that pigs and chickens are that efficient compared to crickets. I was thinking efficiency and body mass would have a close-to-linear negative correlation.

throwanem 5y ago

> They don't have muscles or blood vessels They most certainly do. [1] We could argue about whether the hydraulic structures of the wing count as "blood vessels" - probably not for this purpose, inasmuch as they do not really circulate - but muscles, absolutely. I mean, yes, insects are arthropods, and there are a few of those (such as salticids, which anyway are arachnids and not insects) who use hydraulic pressure to power some movements. But even for them, that's a special case; mostly they use muscles to move, just like we do, albeit with a very different style of scaffolding. And, just generally - have you never eaten crab or lobster? What did you imagine you were eating then, if not muscle? Why assume other arthropods would not be constructed in a fashion generally similar to those? [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_physiology#Muscular_system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_physiology#Muscular_s...

koheripbal 5y ago
You are correct, but the meat is a small percentage of their body weight and cannot be separated out from the rest. So you still cannot create a meat meal with insects.
- falsaberN1 5y ago
  If there was a bug big enough that you can remove the shell like a shrimp, that'd be nice. I hate the little bits you end up with between your teeth when it's the whole bug roasted or such.
tsimionescu 5y ago
> have you never eaten crab or lobster? What did you imagine you were eating then, if not muscle? Why assume other arthropods would not be constructed in a fashion generally similar to those? While you are ultimately right, it should be noted that the arthropods are a huge category of animals, and humans are much closer to fish (taxonomically) than insects are to crabs. In fact, insects and crabs are as close as we are to Tunicates [0]: the same phylum, Chordata for us or Arthropoda for them, but different Subphylums (Vertebrata vs Tunicata for us, Insecta vs Crustacea for them). However, essentially all animals have muscles, from the simplest worms up. Sponges and a few other extremely simplistic animals do lack these, but they are minority exceptions. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunicate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunicate

samus 5y ago

I don't understand the focus on "meat". Most people looking for meat substitutes will get disappointed because the substitutes can't help but taste differently. Which is fine for me as long as the taste is still good.

JohnJamesRambo 5y ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/86zoq9/do_insects_have_muscles_if_so_are_they/ https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/86zoq9/do_insec...