Foods of the future will have to be derived from protein sources such as worms, flies, algae, or fungi, to combat malnutrition, scientists say.

Weird foods of the future

Scientists from the University of Cambridge propose a fundamentally new approach to planning the food production of the future. They consider that traditional ways of maintaining the right amount of nutrition on the Earth may not be possible. And only the production of new types of foods will allow humanity to become less vulnerable to environmental changes.

Scientists suggest growing spirulina, chlorella, sugar algae and some insect larvae as alternative products. They can become full-fledged substitutes for traditional plant and animal foods for future generations.

ScienceDaily.com reported that most importantly, new foods can be grown both in urban environments and in isolated ecosystems such as remote islands. Growing the products of the future will cardinally change the work of manufacturing systems. Small settlements will become independent of supplies of large cities. They will be able to produce food in compact modular systems in their suburbs.

Scientists suggest growing spirulina, chlorella, sugar algae and some insect larvae as alternative products.

Сan the problem of world starvation be solved?

According to Asaf Tsakhor, one of the authors, the consumption of sugar algae and mealworms in diet will solve the problem of products shortages in cases of environmental disasters, droughts, floods, and possible epidemics. Humanity can become more independent of the environment if food is grown in closed modular systems under controlled conditions.

Even now, two billion people on the Earth are subjected to shortages of food. More than 690 million people are starving and 340 million children are not eating enough nutrients to grow healthy and strong. What will happen in a few years in the face of environmental degradation?

Catherine Richards, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, says modern technologies are sufficiently developed to provide everything necessary for the creation of new food systems that are resistant to climate change and various emergencies.

Traditional ways of growing nutrition are vulnerable to weather conditions, locust attacks, forest fires, and African plague outbreaks. The same cannot be said for alternative products.

The researchers say that it is not necessary to consume algae, mealworms and other larvae in their original form. It is enough to add them to hamburgers, pasta, energy bars to increase the amount of macronutrients important for the body in the diet.

So, what do you think? Would you eat meals made of worms?

Read also:

• 10 foods that block ageing
• What did people eat during Bronze Age in Europe?
• Research: Foreign brides used to be the norm in human history
• How to find Russian brides quickly — step-by-step guide