Flies with that? Bug burgers go on sale in Swiss shops

An Essento mealworm burger. Photo / Essento, Twitter

Think of Switzerland and you think of watches, Roger Federer and the Red Cross.

Think of Swiss food and their superb chocolate and cheese come to mind.

Now think bug burgers and insect balls.

The Swiss are about to become the first nation in Europe to stack supermarket shelves with food fit for humans - and good for you too - made from mealworms, which are the larval form of the mealworm beetle.

The burgers, made by Essento, a Swiss start-up, are made from mealworms and contain rice and vegetables such as turnip, celery and leeks, as well as oregano and chilli, while the 'insect balls' combine the larvae with chickpeas, onions, garlic and spices.

Following a change in Swiss food safety laws, which will also allow insect products made from crickets and grasshoppers, the mealworm food will be sold in seven branches of Switzerland's Coop supermarket chain next week.

Insects "have a high culinary potential, their production saves resources and their nutritional profile is high-quality", said Christian Bärtsch, Essento co-founder. "Insects are the perfect complement to a modern diet."