At the recent Expoinnova 2013 fair of invention and ingenuity organized by the University of Costa Rica, one exhibitor’s clever product stood out: Cookies made with the crushed and finely pulverized larvae of beetles. Equally ingenious is the name of these cookies: Buzzcrunch. The inventors of these elaterid-based delicacy admitted that their product is clearly destined for marketing to curious tourists with a sense of adventure, a segment that often travels to Costa Rica. The idea behind Buzzcrunch consists of providing a unique experience.

Using insects as ingredients for intrepid recipes has been somewhat of trend in Costa Rica over the last few years. Back in 2010, an AFP report indicated that research on edible insects was picking up serious interest among the scientific community in Costa Rica. Beetles, grasshoppers and other creepy-crawlies are among the species being considered as alternative food by scientists at the National Biodiversity Institute (INBIO):

“From leaf-cutting ants to rhinoceros beetles and a dizzying flurry of butterflies, the Central American nation is also a haven of ecotourism. But is it the next hotbed of mouth-watering bugs?

The day when restaurants will serve garlic grasshoppers or beetle larva skewers is getting closer in Costa Rica, where scientists are “growing” insects for human consumption.”

One can only imagine the conversation at such restaurants:

“Oh, waiter? There’s a fly in my soup!”

“But of course, Madame. It’s our specialty. Bon appetit!”

Costa Rica is certainly not alone in this effort. At the University of Alicante in Spain, researchers are using beetle larvae in recipes far more elaborate than the Buzzcrunch cookies. How would you like a Mozzarella fondue garnished with beetle larvae, or a Spanish omelet with grasshoppers?

Bug-based gastronomy is not for the skittish, but in many regions of Africa is both part of a balanced diet and sometimes a gourmet treat. In countries such as Benin, crickets, grasshoppers and even termites are commonly used in their local cuisine.

An entomologist at INBIO remarked that esperanzas, large grasshoppers that can be found across Costa Rica, taste even better than shrimp -as long as they are thoroughly grilled and sauteed with onions.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) supports the use of insects in everyday cuisine, particularly at a time when traditional food sources are seeing periods of low supplies. The fact is, according to the FAO, that insects are great future prospects for food around the world -they just have not been domesticated as human nutrition. With Buzzcrunch cookies and the research of INBIO, Costa Rica seems to be headed in the right direction.