Eating insects rather than mammals could be the answer to feeding the world’s growing population, insect specialists have suggested.

Insects produce less waste than mammals and are rich in protein, essential amino acids, iron and vitamins – making them an ecologically viable alternative to meat, according to entomology professors at the Netherlands’ Wageningen University.

We already eat up to 500g of insects each year, say the professors, through vegetable- based products and foods dyed with insect derivatives.