Cockroach is the new superfood! While the sight and thought of a cockroach can definitely turn stomachs, milk protein crystals found inside the creatures can serve as healthy protein supplements for humans, scientists said.
A team of scientists from the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) in Bangalore, India, recently broke down the structure of milk protein crystal from the guts of a cockroach species called Diploptera punctata, the only known roach species to give birth to live young. This roach species live along Asia's Pacific rim.
According to the team's study, a single milk crystal is highly caloric and contains more than three times the energy of the same amount of dairy milk. The researchers previously found that Buffaloes produce milk protein with the highest amount of calories.
Sanchari Banerjee, one of the main authors of the study, has revealed to Times of India that these crystals are like "complete foods" which contains proteins, fats and sugars. The protein sequence also revealed that they have all essential amino acids.
Researchers have not yet determined whether the crystals are toxic to humans. The team now plans to use a yeast system to produce more crystals to possibly be used as protein supplements in the future.
Source: TIME Biology Pop
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