Published 17:52 IST, March 8th 2020
Belgian scientists make insect butter, claim it to be more 'sustainable'
Belgian scientists have been experimenting to use larva fat instead of butter in waffles, cakes, cookies and other food items, international media reported.
Scientists at Ghent University, Belgium have been experimenting to use larva fat instead of butter in waffles, cakes, cookies and other food items, international media reported. Researchers reportedly opined that using grease from insects is a “more sustainable'' option as compared to dairy products.
Daylan Tzompa Sosa, the Principle investigator while talking to international media said that there wasn’t any harm in using “insect ingredients.” He added that they were more sustainable as insects used less land than cattle and were more efficient at converting feed. He further said that the insects also used less water to produce butter.
For creating insect butter, the researchers soaked the Black solid Fly larvae in a bowl of water before putting them in a blender to create a smooth greyish drop, international media reported. The final process reportedly involved putting the blended product in a centrifuge to separate out insect butter. The scientists have also claimed that the consumers notice no difference when a quarter of milk butter is replaced with insect butter. However, they notice an unusual taste if both were mixed in equal amounts.
Experts reuse cooking oil for painting
In another experiment aimed at increasing sustainability, researchers at the University of Toronto, Scarborough campus reportedly turned to Mcdonald’s for its cooking oil as a cheaper alternative to the expensive resin material for Butterfly 3D Printing. The team was facing issues printing objects in the lab at an incredibly high price, over $500 per litre resin, confirmed reports.
According to the reports, one of the researchers analyzed that the resin material was similar to fats that were found in ordinary cooking oil. This breakthrough discovery led the team to opt for a cheaper alternative as the team began working to turn the cooking oil into resin material for 3D printing. The team, therefore, urged the fast-food restaurants around the university to make donations for the leftover cooking oil, however, they were turned down by most restaurants except for McDonald's. The nearby McDonald's donated 10 litres of used cooking oil to the researchers, confirmed reports.
Updated 17:52 IST, March 8th 2020