A bug banquet. (Photo/Youth.cn)
(ECNS) - Although the thought of eating locusts and superworms might make many cringe, students and teachers gobbled up foods made with more than 10 kinds of edible insects during a special banquet at the Chengdu campus of Sichuan Agricultural University.
Many visitors only watched the experimental insect tasting last Friday, but some dared to give it a try, sometimes closing their eyes while chewing, China Youth Daily reported.
Liu Xing, a student at the university, said mealworms looked frightening yet revealed that they are rich in nutrition and protein. “They’re actually yummy,” he said.
Wang Lizhi, another student, recommended that others have a taste of fried cicadas served with watermelon.
Yue Yanli and Gu Junjie, two associate professors at the university, worked with a student association to organize the festival that aims to make more people aware of the nutritional value of insects. Insects are healthy to eat as they contain a lot of iron and calcium, as well as essential amino acids, according to the festival.
Chen Hongxing, director of the Party Committee Office at the university’s School of Agronomy, said the activity seeks to eliminate misunderstanding about insects and reduce negative perceptions about them.
