Would you eat an insect? It might sound unappetising at first, but edible insects are nutritional powerhouses – packed with high-quality protein, gut-friendly fibre, iron, zinc and even antioxidant compounds. Better still, they require a fraction of the land, water and feed used by traditional livestock and emit far fewer greenhouse gases. As the global population hurtles toward 10 billion and food demand rises sharply, insects offer a surprisingly elegant solution to the protein crunch.
That solution is no longer theoretical. Thanks to a breakthrough from scientists at the School of Engineering and Sciences (EIC) at Tecnológico de Monterrey, insects are being baked – literally – into one of the world’s most familiar staple: bread.
Grasshopper flour has long been recognised for its protein potential, but this team has taken it further. Led by Dr Celeste Ibarra-Herrera, the researchers have developed a fermentation method – currently under patent – that transforms insect-fortified bread into something soft, appealing and market-ready.
“Innovation like this represents a concrete opportunity for people to improve their daily diet in a simple and accessible way,” says Dr Ibarra-Herrera. “With this bread, people have a source of high-quality protein compared to traditional bread, in addition to significantly increasing the intake of iron, zinc, calcium, selenium and dietary fibre – critical nutrients whose deficiency continues to affect millions of people in Mexico and in the world.”
The bread is made with a blend of milpa grasshopper (Sphenarium purpurascens) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) flours – selected not just for their impressive nutritional profiles, but also for their cultural relevance. Grasshoppers, known locally as chapulines, have been part of Mexico’s culinary tradition since at least the 16th century. On their own, chapulines are fairly neutral in flavour, but when seasoned with lime, salt or chili, they add an appealing crunch to dishes like tacos and tlayudas (Oaxacan-style pizzas). You’ll also find them as a popular bar snack – crisped and spiced, served with beer.
Mexico is home to more than 500 of the more than 1,600 species of edible insects reported worldwide. So, folding such a familiar, culturally embedded ingredient into something as everyday as bread was a deliberate move to make the innovation more approachable for consumer.
That approach seems to have worked. In taste tests, participants preferred the grasshopper bread over loaves made with other insect flours. Fermentation played a key role, giving the bread a soft crumb, a mildly malty flavour and a wholegrain-style appearance – making it feel familiar and approachable, not unlike sourdough. Fermenting the insect flour, particularly the grasshopper variety, also improved digestibility. It further boosted the protein and fibre content, elevating the bread’s nutritional profile beyond what wheat flour alone can offer.
So while insect baking has been explored for years, this study stands out for how it marries science, nutrition and tradition. This isn’t about hiding insects in food – it’s about reimagining what better daily nutrition can look and taste like.
Not a new idea, but still a radical one
Using insect flours in bread has been on the research radar for nearly a decade. In 2017, Brazilian scientists enriched wheat bread with cockroach flour and saw a nearly 50% increase in protein with little impact on taste. By 2018, studies in Europe were trialling flours from crickets, mealworms and black soldier flies – often at inclusion levels of 5% to 10% – with positive results for both nutrition and dough behaviour.
By 2019, Italian researchers had demonstrated that insect-enhanced breads could be scaled. Bread with 5% mealworm flour held its structure well and had the best texture in the study. Around the same time, Finnish bakery Fazer made headlines for releasing a cricket loaf – the first of its kind to hit retail shelves – which sold out quickly.
All signs point to insect-fortified bread moving beyond novelty status.
A taste of tradition, reinvented through science
What makes the Monterrey bread different is its process. Rather than simply mixing insect flour into dough, Dr Ibarra-Herrera’s team developed a fermentation method using an edible fungus. This not only neutralises off-flavours but improves dough elasticity and boosts nutritional uptake – making the protein and fibre more bioavailable.
“This bread represents a bold step towards transforming the perception of edible insects,” says Dr Ibarra-Herrera. “It integrates them into our diet in a familiar and appetising way.”
Cultural relevance played a big role. Insects like chapulines have been eaten in Mexico for generations and folding them into bread was seen as a natural evolution. In sensory trials conducted in the state of Puebla, where the consumption of grasshoppers has a deep-rooted cultural tradition, the fermented grasshopper bread stood out for taste, texture and visual appeal – proving that tradition, when refined through science, can yield something both innovative and deeply rooted.
The bread doesn’t taste like insects. Panellists described it as mild, malty and moist – indistinguishable from other wholegrain-style loaves in both flavour and function.
It’s this mix of biotechnology, nutrition and culinary familiarity that gives the bread a real chance at mainstream success.
What’s in it for bakers?
For the baking industry, this isn’t just a scientific curiosity – it’s a potential gamechanger. The global edible insect market is forecast to grow by more than 28% annually, reaching nearly 1.4 million tonnes by 2027. With regulatory momentum building – insects are already recognised as novel foods in the EU – bakers are well placed to lead in a space that merges functionality with sustainability.
Large manufacturers can use insect flour to launch high-protein, low-impact SKUs aimed at eco-conscious consumers, athletes and institutions. Think school meals with better nutrition, or breads that support internal ESG goals while standing out in a crowded category.
For smaller bakeries, the opportunity lies in value-added innovation. The Monterrey team plans to introduce its bread via gourmet retailers, targeting health- and environmental-aware customers open to novel ingredients. Insect flours could also help bakers reconnect with regional food traditions, offering a modern twist on ancient ingredients.
Crucially, the barrier to entry is low. Studies show that replacing 5%-10% of wheat flour with insect flour requires little to no adjustment in recipe or equipment. Dough structure remains stable and thanks to the fermentation method, the final product is both palatable and nutrient rich. Bakers concerned about taste can adopt the Monterrey team’s process – once published or licensed – to help standardise sensory quality.
In terms of sourcing, insect protein delivers major advantages. Producing 1kg of grasshopper protein requires just 2kg of feed, compared to 8kg for beef. It uses less land and water, emits far fewer greenhouse gases and offers a more resilient protein supply in the face of climate shocks.
Of course, innovation only goes so far without regulatory support. Dr Ibarra-Herrera is calling for clearer frameworks to help normalise the use of insect ingredients in food. “The integration of insect-based foods into our diet requires time and education, but through innovation, effective communication and the creation of sensorially attractive products, we are confident in achieving their normalisation, taking advantage of the nutritional and environmental benefits they offer.”
The takeaway
Insect-fortified bread is no longer a fringe idea. With nearly a decade of research, growing consumer openness and regulatory tailwinds, it’s quickly becoming a serious category to watch. The Monterrey study stands out not just for its technical sophistication, but for how thoughtfully it integrates local tradition, flavour and function.
As Dr Ibarra-Herrera puts it: “The objective is clear – to creatively face the approaching protein deficit, offering sustainable foods that nourish better and are also pleasant for consumers.”
For bakers, that’s not just a science lesson. It’s a blueprint for innovation and a chance to lead a food revolution one slice at a time. Soon enough, grasshopper bread might not raise eyebrows. It might just raise standards.
Citations:
De Oliveira LM, Da Silva Lucas AJ, et al. (2017) Bread enriched with flour from cinereous cockroach (Nauphoeta cinerea). Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies 44(30-35): ISSN 1466-8564. doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2017.08.015.
González CM, Garzón R, Rosell CM. (2018). Insects as ingredients for bakery goods. A comparison study of H. illucens, A. domestica and T. molitor flours. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies. 51. 10.1016/j.ifset.2018.03.021.
Roncolini A, Milanović V, et al. (2019) Protein fortification with mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) powder: Effect on textural, microbiological, nutritional and sensory features of bread. PLoS ONE 14(2): e0211747. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211747
