Israeli-based firm Hargol FoodTech offers foods made from locusts including protein shakes, sugar-free gummies, and energy bars, allowing people to eat the diet of John the Baptist in the Bible.
In 2020, the food company launched its "Biblical Protein," the first commercial locust farm in the world situated on the banks of the Jordan River. They specialized in insect cultivation for mass consumption, The Christian Post reported.
"Locusts are an incredible source of protein and essential nutrients," Hargol CEO Dror Tamir said. Their company pulverized the insects so they can be added to smoothies, yogurt, salad, pasta sauce, and more.
He noted that locusts were a natural source of 72 percent of the protein that people can opt for instead of consuming processed products from various animals and plants. He explained that locusts required no extraction or separation of the nutrients due to their natural protein content. Apart from protein, locusts contained essential micronutrients and antioxidants such as omega-3, iron, zinc, folic, acid, and vitamins E and B12.
He remembered how Yemen and Moroccan Jews were collecting the insects and using them for food amid the locust plagues that ravaged Israel in the 1950s. Locusts usually affect the food security of a country as they can easily multiply.
Based on the company's ongoing research, good data suggests consuming locusts can support the growth of children, improve metabolism, reduce fat, and strengthen the immune system. "We are now starting to research and unveil the health benefits locusts provide to humans," he said. "It is still an early stage of research and we need to complete clinical trials, but the indications we have are incredible."
Their products got testimonials from Christian media personalities such as CBN News' Julie Stahl and TBN's Eric Stakelbeck of "The Watchman." Stakelbeck wrote, "Incredible! Folks, I was blown away by the vision and the passion of the team and Hargol FoodTech. Israel is changing the world through companies like this!"
Tamir also shared that the locust was the most widely eaten insect in the world, consumed by more than 2 billion people across Asia, Africa, and Central America. In 2021, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Rural Development Administration added the locust, known to them as "Pulmuchi," to that nation's approved edible insect list. According to Food Navigator Asia, South Korea was one of the most advanced edible insect industries in the Asia Pacific region.
South Korean MFDS noted that other foreign countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Thailand, The Netherlands, France, Germany, and the United States approved locusts as edible insects, drying them or making them into a powder.
Apart from these countries, locusts have been approved for consumption in the Bible as cited in Leviticus 11:20-23 and Matthew 3:4.
Tamir also said that major companies would also venture to develop and produce other insects aside from locusts, which include crickets, mealworms, and flies for human and animal consumption.
