One could argue that salt and pepper have had their day. It’s time for spices like garlic, turmeric, and maybe cumin to have their time to shine.

And, according to some people, edible ants?

Listen, around the world, ants have long been part of a healthy diet. They’re high in protein and (apparently) coming in a wide variety of flavors.

Black ants are full of formic acid, a compound they secrete from venom glands, and give a bit of that acidic vinegar flavor, while chicatana ants give off the tantalizing aroma of meat sizzling on a hot grill. This is down to the aldehydes and pyrazine in their bodies. They could provide a flavor boost when it comes to trying to find more meat alternatives that cut emissions, water use, and address climate concerns.

Food scientists like Changqi Liu believe this could be a way to boost flavor, texture, and even nutrition into the food we eat.

“They can have very diverse and interesting flavor profiles, an that really increases the culinary possibilities of using these insects to create delicious food. I don’t want people to feel that they are making a sacrifice by eating these insects. I want to show that they can actually taste very good, while being nutritious and good for the environment.”

Scientists have been able to pick apart the different flavors and aromas by identifying the volatile compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Then, the used an olfactometer to match odors and deliver them to humans. Not all of the compounds could be smelled by humans, so there was some trial and error.

That said, most of Western society gets the ick when thinking about insects on their plate, regardless of the benefits.

So it will probably be a bit before they can convince people to pick up a bag of chicatana chips instead of those Cool Ranch Doritos.

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