German researchers have developed a recipe for a traditional Bavarian white sausage (Weisswurst) with the addition of mealworms, according to the newspaper Bild.
According to the newspaper, students from the University of Kulmbach have added a new ingredient to the Bavarian white sausage: in addition to pork, beef, parsley, spices and salt, they have also added mealworms. The researchers replaced up to 20% of the pork with crushed mealworms. Because of this, the sausage looks noticeably grayer than real Weisswurst, Bild reports.
The experiment has been met with a negative reaction from local residents. The recipe, especially in southern Germany, initially caused quite a stir. Some consumers called the new dish "perverse." "We didn't expect such a reaction," said Janine Henkel-Oberländer, professor of food biochemistry at the University of Bayreuth (Kulmbach campus). She and her colleagues are researching alternative sources of protein for food products. "We underestimated this protest," she said.
At the same time, according to the professor, no one attacked the national treasure - the white sausage. "We just wanted a simple, boiled sausage that was easy to make. And we didn't want to hide the taste of the mealworms with a lot of spices," Henkel-Oberländer said. The researchers had several goals. "We don't want to completely replace traditional foods, but rather supplement them with healthier sources of protein," the professor explained, adding that this sausage has "more protein and more unsaturated fatty acids." These, she said, are considered "good fats" that protect the heart.
"By 2050, there will be 10 billion people on Earth. If we continue to eat the same way we do now, we will have to increase meat production by 30%. But even for the sake of the climate, we have to reduce it," Henkel-Oberländer concluded.