Would you dare to try a hamburger made with worm meat, from the zootechnical program of the Universidad Industrial de Santander-Sede Málaga, students Jean Pereira and Karen Mora, promote an innovative and bold proposal in the sustainable food industry and is the venture “Bocados Terrosos” that promotes hamburgers with worm meat.
It is a venture with business innovation from zootechnics in the framework of sustainable production of minor and non-conventional species for zero hunger and environmental care.
This project, which has been guided by Professor Laura Álvarez Palomino and the unconditional support of the Chi’xi Grandín research group, offers a nutritious and accessible alternative with a clear mission: to combat food insecurity in Colombia and promote environmental sustainability.
“The concept of Earthy Bites is based on the production and sale of hamburgers made from Californian red earthworm meat, a source of high biological value protein. According to DANE (2023), 29.6% of the world’s population faces moderate or severe food insecurity. In Colombia, this figure is alarming, with 25% of the population in a situation of food insecurity (World Food Program, 2024). This context reflects the urgency of finding innovative food solutions that not only guarantee adequate nutrition, but are also sustainable and economically accessible” explained Professor, Laura Alvarez.
Following the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the second goal of “Zero Hunger”, “Earthy Bites” seeks to offer a quality and affordable food alternative for Colombian families, allowing them to access a balanced diet throughout the year. In addition, this business model raises the possibility of creating additional income for those who decide to replicate this productive initiative.
“It is also a venture that promotes gender equality and decent work. This inclusive project allows both men and women to participate in the production and commercialization of worm meat, thus complying with the fifth SDG of “Gender Equality” and the eighth of “Decent Work and Economic Growth.” Through this productive model, it not only provides an additional source of livelihood for families, but also contributes to the creation of decent and sustainable jobs, strengthening the local economy and promoting the empowerment of vulnerable communities,” added Zootechnics program professor Laura Álvarez.
For Jean Pereira, one of the students promoting this venture, it all started because of the lessons learned in a program subject. “It has had a great impact in the region, considering that worm meat has a great contribution in protein. It is important to highlight the research work and all the contributions of the Chi’xi Grandín seedbed so that today we have this business project”.
For her part, student Karen Mora invited the community to get to know this product and to continue innovating with the learning acquired in the classroom.
Finally, lumbriculture, the ecological practice on which this project is based, focuses on raising earthworms for the production of leachate and compost, highly nutritious products that are useful for agriculture and soil improvement. This approach not only facilitates food production, but also addresses organic waste management, promoting a sustainable production cycle and minimizing the environmental footprint.
The “Earthy Morsels” initiative thus contributes to compliance with the agreements established at COP 16, especially with regard to the conservation of the biodiversity of fauna and flora in Colombia. By engaging in low environmental impact practices, the project positions itself as a benchmark in the sustainability of the livestock sector, showing that it is possible to produce in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.
“Earthy Bites” is much more than an earthworm meat burger. It is a call to action to fight hunger, promote sustainable development, gender equality, decent work and environmental preservation. This initiative invites the families of Garcia Rovira and Colombia to consider new sources of protein, and to engage in a model that combines nutrition, environmental care and economic development, under the principles of equity and sustainability.
