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Future Astronauts May Survive On Eating Silkworms
sciencehabit writes "Science reports that silkworms may be an ideal food source for future space missions. They breed quickly, require little space and water, and generate smaller amounts of excrement than poultry or fish. They also contain twice as many essential amino acids as pork does and four times as much as eggs and milk. Even the insect's inedible silk, which makes up 50% of the weight of the dry cocoon, could provide nutrients: The material can be rendered edible through chemical processing and can be mixed with fruit juice, sugar, and food coloring to produce jam."
Now we just have to solve this space radiation issue and how to shield astronauts from it.
Do you D?
"What's for dinner tonight, Dave?"
"Oh, I don't know, Frank, how about... MORE FU(#1NG WORMS!?"
"Just calm down and pass the worm jam."
Ah the Spork. With spokes to short to grab anything, however their unique shape prevents it from pickup liquid well either.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
With enough butter, anything can taste okay. The best part is their texture though. Nice and silky.
They taste kind of like a very musty bean, but they have the typical cooked larva mouthfeel to them, a slightly taught exterior that 'pops' when you bite into them, and a soft creamy interior.
I'm not just talking shit either. Silk worms are a very common street vendor food in Korea, and I tried some the last time I was there. I'd seen them for decades, but I'd chickened out when I saw them in my earlier years.
If I was in some sort of survival environment, like the harsh vacuum of space, I wouldn't mind eating silk worms, but on a regular basis, I'm not too fond of them.
This is where I get my recommended daily allowance of "Foot in Mouth."
can we make them taste like bacon?
Yes... just wrap them in bacon...
Even better is the Spnife: round enough to hold soup, but sharp enough to slice your mouth.
so what do they taste like?? can we make them taste like bacon?
Last year I was in Korea where the streets are lined with vendors frying up silkworm pupae on the street as an, *ahem*, delicacy. The smell wafting down the road can only be described as a cross between death and pus. I would eat my fellow astronauts over silkworms.
The big issue with space missions in mass. Silk worms aren't going to magically create silk worm meat (or whatever you call it) from nothing - for ever 1 kg of silk worm that you grow to eat, you will have to bring along at least 1 kg of silkworm food. So why not just bring human-edible food instead of silk worm food?
I think musty bean is being generous. I tried one, and it just tasted like dirt. Korea has some great dishes, but bbeon-dae-gi isn't one of them.
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Space travel is extreme backpacking! If you've ever backpacked, you don't think twice about eating food you wouldn't normally eat at home. There are various gateway foods you can eat, such as sushi and in particular uni (sea urchin testes...no shit...nasty), which will make the consumption of silk worms seem like dessert. Hunger is a powerful motivator.
Hakuna Matata!
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Last time I was there I had some great meat balls. They really were the dog's bollocks.
Who was the guy who first looked at a chicken and thought "I'm gonna eat the first thing that comes out of that bird's butt."
Thank god the egg came out first.
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