GENEVA (AP) — A Swiss supermarket chain has started selling burgers and balls made from insects, a move being billed as a legal first in Europe.
Seven of Coop's nearly 2,500 stores in Switzerland are serving up the critter concoctions from Zurich-based food startup Essento. A broader launch is planned by year's end.
The bug burgers are made of rice, chopped vegetables, spices and mealworm larvae.
Coop says its goal is to convince leery consumers to try a nutritious, if unusual food that "preserve the planet's resources."
During the limited rollout, curious consumers have had the insect products flying off the shelves.
A change in Swiss law in May allows the sale for human consumption of three types of insects: mealworm larvae, house crickets and migratory locusts.