It is hard to believe that there are over 795 million people in the world who are starving. Even though there have been many recent developments in food production, scientists continue to look for solutions to this shocking problem.
The problem is particularly bad in India where about 25 per cent of the starving live. Scientists there have made a very interesting discovery that could go some way to solving the problem, but you may not like what you read.
The solution comes in the form of a cockroach, those horrible insects we see all too often on the streets and in dark, damp corners. Cockroaches have been around for 320 million years and there are over 4,600 different species. But not until now did anyone ever think they may help with any of our problems, let alone such a major issue as hunger.
All female cockroaches lay eggs, except one species known as the Pacific Beetle Cockroach. The Pacific Beetle does not produce eggs. Its baby insects are born are. After birth, the mother creates protein crystals to feed its young. These crystals actually look like milk and it is this substance that scientists are very interested in.
One protein crystal contains more than three times the amount of protein found in the best quality milk you can buy in a supermarket. It also contains fat and sugar, making it an unusually rich substance, the perfect food for the hungry.
So here we have a solution to world hunger, but there are at least two big problems. Can you think what these problems might be? First, how do you extract the crystals from the cockroach in sufficient quantities? Second, even if you are starving, would you be prepared to eat something that has come from an insect that is hated the world over?
The scientists involved in this discovery recognise these problems only too well. They decided very early on that breeding cockroaches to extract the milk-like substance was never going to work. Instead, they are trying to copy the DNA of the cockroach so they can create the crystals in the science lab. No cockroaches will be required in production!
It is still difficult to imagine that something taken from a cockroach can stop the world from starving. But if it works, the world will become a better place to live – even if cockroaches continue to live on our streets and in our homes!
Cockroach milk in greater detail – if you can face it!
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