January 14, 2026
Snack or yack?
Maggots, an Efficient Source of Protein, May Become Next Superfood for Humans
From mango mush to 'Snowpiercer bars'—would you eat the wriggly superfood
TLDR: Kenya’s black soldier fly larvae turn mango waste into protein, and companies want to serve that to humans next. The community splits between eco-curious eaters and firm refusals, with Snowpiercer jokes and debates over whether disguising bug protein could overcome the universal ick factor.
In Kenya, a mountain of mango mush is feeding millions of black soldier fly larvae, which are being turned into protein—and not just for pets anymore. Companies want to roll out human treats made from these wrigglers: protein bars, shakes, even ice cream and falafel. The flies don’t eat as adults, so their larvae are nutrition-packed, gobbling 16.5 tons of waste a day and turning it into concentrated protein. Translation: cheap, sustainable, planet-friendly grub. But are humans ready? The comments say: cue the drama. One viewer drops the ultimate meme, calling it the Snowpiercer food bar, while another wonders if making maggots look like steak would trick us like kids with chicken nuggets. The tastemakers arrive with a shocker—“silkworm pupae are delicious” once you beat the ick—only to be met by a wall of hard NOs: “Not this human…” and a pure, minimalist “No.” The thread splits into two camps: the save-the-planet-by-eating-bugs crowd vs. the over-my-dead-mouth crew. It’s a battle of stomachs and morals, wrapped in memes, squeamish jokes, and a single burning question: if we disguise it, will we eat it?
Key Points
- •InsectiPro in Kenya rears 128 million black soldier fly larvae that convert mango processing waste into protein meal for animal feed.
- •Larvae collectively consume about 16.5 tons of crop waste per day, rapidly reducing organic waste.
- •Black soldier flies do not eat as adults; females lay ~600 eggs, and larvae are nutrient-dense due to stored fat and nutrients.
- •Industry interest is high: a 2021 review counted 950 papers on edible insects, and Pet Food Processing lists 136 BSF-related articles.
- •Around $2 billion has been invested in insect farming, with over half supporting black soldier fly operations; Innovafeed is cited as the largest BSF producer.