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31 December 2018 | Story Igno van Niekerk | Photo Igno van Niekerk
Insects on the menu
Beetle juice and bug flour; Drs Ismari van der Merwe and Cariena Bothma are researching the possibility of a high-protein diet consisting of insect ingredients.

You’ve just had a tasty milkshake made from grasshopper juice, now for a light snack. Your choice: Salty cricket cookies or a deep-fried ant delight?

One of these days the above delicatessen may just find its way to your local restaurant menu if Drs Ismari van der Merwe, Cariena Bothma, both lecturers in the Department of Consumer Science, and their enthusiastic team of students have their way. Insects as food are rich in protein, often tasty, and having them on a menu is not as far-fetched as you may think. After all, we know what culinary delights mopani worms – and yes – cooked land snails (enjoyed as escargots) have become over the years.

 

Cricket smackerals

 

When Dr Van der Mewe explains the benefits of her team’s vision for a high-protein diet consisting of insect ingredients (cricket flour as an example), one becomes aware that this could be the solution to a myriad of problems. Insects eat much less than our regular menu items such as cows (beef), sheep (lamb chops) or pigs (pork). Insects as an alternative diet will reduce the negative impact that larger animals have on the environment and greenhouse gases. Insects have faster life cycles and it takes less effort and space to breed and feed them.

“Ugh! Ick! Disgusting,” you might think. But picture the taste lab where volunteers are given regular chocolate cookies made with regular flour, and then asked to compare it with cookies made from cricket flour. Dr van der Merwe assures me that most people will be unable to distinguish between them, often even preferring the cricket smackerals.

 

Heathy alternative

 

Insect breakfast cereals, granola, and snack food is a real and viable solution for the developing world where food is scarce, and hunger is a real issue. But is it healthy? Dr Van der Merwe assures me that during the process of ‘bug to flour’, they are addressing the main concern: micro-organisms that might be detrimental to health. Once the insects or processed insect by-products arrive on your plate, it’s a healthy high-protein alternative that might become the next revolutionary diet.

So, stand aside Atkins, beware Banting, and be gone Gluten-free – there is a new diet on its way to the menu. Brace yourself for beetle juice and bug flour: a diet full of proteins, fat, energy, and essential amino acids. 

 

News Archive

UFS SIFE is the best in SA!
2004-07-09

The SIFE team celebrates their victory with Jack Shewmaker, founder of SIFE in 1975 and past-president of Walmart in the USA, and Moses Kgosana, Chairman of KPMG SA.

The Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team of the University of the Free State competed in the National SIFE championships on Thursday, June 17, 2004 at Ceasar’s Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Strong competition was experienced from the other ten participant SA universities, e.g. the Universities of the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Cape Town and RAU, but die UFS SIFE team retained the national championship for the third year running.

The team will now represent South Africa and the University of the Free State in Barcelona, Spain at die SIFE World Cup. The competition will be held from 22 to 24 September 2004.

The presentation team members for the competition were Tsholofelo Tlhomelang, Imameleng Matete, Kenneth Lefa, Kabelo Lephaka, Nadia van Staden, Tshepo Mahloko (Multi-Media), Werner Schmidt (Faculty Advisor). Supporting the presentation team were Lineo Peete, Keketso Ntene, Ruth Morienyane, Motaung Mathaba, Tshireletso Seekoe, Peter Letsoalo, Obakeng Msuthwana, Tshepiso Lebentle, JC Langeveldt and Michelle Stanley.

SIFE is a world-wide non-profit organisation with the express aim of encouraging students to spread their business knowledge - gained in the classroom - to the community, to promote and expand the principles of free enterprise.( www.sife.org )

The criteria by which SIFE-projects are measured are the following:

• How free markets work in the global economy.
• How entrepreneurs succeed by identifying a market need and then profitably producing and marketing a product or service to fill that need.
• The personal entrepreneurial, communications, technology and financial management skills needed to successfully compete.
• Practicing business in an ethical and socially responsible manner that supports the principles of a market economy.
• Measuring the results of projects, utilizing mass media and the Internet, involving non-business majors and utilizing a Business Advisory Board, communicating the program through a written report and verbal presentation.

The UFS’ SIFE-team’s presentation complied with all the above mentioned criteria. SIFE UFS’ education drive stretched from primary school learners, to adults who had been working for thirty years – this diverse group was taught about the free market system and its value in the global village. Business ethics and basic business principles were communicated in a fun and interactive way to learners. High-level business advice was given to entrepreneurs who started new projects, e.g. a brick-maker, and marketing advice were given to existing businesses in need of expansion.

If you are interested in helping SIFE UFS achieve its goals, e-mail Werner Schmidt at
schmidtw.ekw@mail.uovs.ac.za or phone him at 051 – 401 3376.

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