Cockroach milk: The superfood of the future is now

[MechAg94]

https://bigthink.com/this-gross-creature-may-create-the-superfood-of-the-future.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true
They probably should have kept the exact origin a secret. 

A team from the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in India has sequenced a protein crystal from the gut of Diploptera punctata (Pacific Beetle Cockroach), the only known cockroach to give birth to live young. To feed its offspring, the roach also produces a milk-like substance with protein crystals which have three times the energy of buffalo milk.

Before you start imagining how you can milk a cockroach, the scientists have dismissed such an option and are instead sequencing the genes responsible for the production of milk protein crystals.

"The crystals are like a complete food - they have proteins, fats and sugars. If you look into the protein sequences, they have all the essential amino acids," said one scientist from the team, Sanchari Banerjee, to the Times of India.

What's also fascinating, the milk crystals release proteins not all at once but in accordance with the speed of digestion.

[RocketMan]

I don't...  uh, it's not really... could there be... what will it take...?  Nevermind.  No.  Just no.

[MechAg94]

I figure they would genetically engineer a goat or cow or something to make this type of milk.  I still think there would be resistance to consuming it.....by humans I mean. 

Of course, if they used it to come up with a new drink with substantial alcohol content and call it something like "Mother's Milk", then who knows. 

[BlueStarLizzard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZo2mbbCmKQ

 

[WLJ]

[AZRedhawk44]

I figure they would genetically engineer a goat or cow or something to make this type of milk.  I still think there would be resistance to consuming it.....by humans I mean. 

Of course, if they used it to come up with a new drink with substantial alcohol content and call it something like "Mother's Milk", then who knows. 

Or "Mudder's Milk."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI-fiGUjAPY

[MechAg94]

Thanks for the correction.  I haven't watched that episode in a while.

[Andiron]

Or "Mudder's Milk."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI-fiGUjAPY

Beat me to the gorram draw.

[dogmush]

meh.  Protein is Protein.

We (humanity) are relatively rich right now and can afford to be primadonnas about what we eat.*  Let the AGW prophets win politically, (or be right) and food will get a whole lot more expensive, and bugs will be back on the menu for a lot of people.  Honestly a processed protein drink like this is more palatable to me then just eating the fried bugs, which I have done.


*To be clear, I am a huge fan of our current lifestyle of cheap food and energy, which allows us to debate which strain of Wagyu cow tastes the best after how much ageing.  But all this "choosey about food" is a sign of exactly how much luxury humanity has carved out for itself.

[MechAg94]

True.

Also consider how many people used to have home vegetable gardens.  You don't see that as much anymore.