KANAZAWA -- As edible insects are gaining worldwide attention as a possible solution to food shortages, cricket snacks have proved surprisingly popular among visitors to a museum in Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture.
The Ishikawa Insect Museum sold 325 packages of Super Korogi Otsumami (Super cricket snacks) over its first two months on sale. Stocks even ran out for a while this summer.
Each 350 yen package of the product, developed by a food maker in Tokyo, features crickets deep-fried and seasoned. There are four flavors: garlic, the most popular; pizza; curry; and wasabi. The crickets taste savory like shrimp and are a perfect accompaniment to beer.
The museum's shop began selling the snacks on a trial basis in late July. They were bought by a wide range of generations, and the museum temporarily ran out of crickets in late August when it received more visitors during the summer vacation season. The snacks have sold two or three times more than other items at the shop.
In 2013, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said in its report that edible insects could be raised with less feed and water than that used for livestock, and may be an effective food source in the face of explosive population growth.
Edible insects have attracted attention for their high nutritional value as they are rich in protein, calcium and iron. Crickets contain about 33 times more glutamic acid -- a substance that produces umami flavors -- than kelp, while also being rich in iron, essential amino acids and other nutrients.
The number of stores specializing in edible insects has been increasing in Japan. In Himi, Toyama Prefecture, in August, an event was held in which participants tried smoking and making tempura of insects such as the larvae of cicadas and bees.
"I didn't expect edible insects to sell this much," said Yuichi Tsuchida, 46, a manager at the museum. "I hope this product will give people a chance to become interested in insects and visit our museum."
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