Bread made from locusts may go on sale in Russia: why?

Against the backdrop of a sharp increase in food prices in Russia, scientists have developed an unusual and previously unheard-of new method. Now it is proposed to bake bread using dried and ground locusts along with wheat flour. It can be said that this innovative technology will not only reduce the cost of products, but also increase their nutritional value.

According to research conducted by specialists from the South Ural State University, locust flour has an extremely high protein content, almost six times more than wheat flour. Scientists note that the protein content of this unconventional product exceeds 60 percent, while in ordinary wheat flour this figure is only about 10 percent.

In addition, the solubility of proteins in locust flour-based products is three times higher, and the ability to form an emulsion is almost five times higher than in wheat flour. Its foaming properties are four times higher than those of wheat flour, at 67.4 percent.

Special additives made from algae and fungi can also be used in the preparation of new types of bread. In particular, Professor Abduvali Toshev notes that adding 5-15 percent locust flour, 2-6 percent algae (spirulina), and 10-20 percent mushroom powder can produce bread with high nutritional value, "with optimal taste and aroma."

According to him, even a minimal amount of locust flour enriches the product with beneficial microelements, improves the overall taste of bread, and significantly increases its softness and baking properties.

The price of bread and other flour products on the Russian market has been steadily growing over the past few years. According to Rosstat, at the end of 2024, the price of bread increased by 15% compared to the previous year, and this process will not stop in 2025 and will become even more pronounced. This economic situation has led to the need to find new ways to support and reduce the price of products that are important for the daily consumption of the population.

According to the Romir research agency, the expenses of Russians to meet their daily needs reached a record level in April 2025. They are forced to spend almost 34.6% of their family budget on food products. This indicator is the highest figure in the last five years.

Making the situation worse for consumers, bread manufacturers decided to increase prices by 10-12% at the beginning of this year. Among the main reasons for this are factors such as rising raw material prices, increasing logistics costs, and an increase in the tax burden.

A new technology based on locusts and other non-traditional products developed by Russian scientists is an important step towards solving these problems. Researchers emphasize that the popularization of such non-traditional products is not only economically beneficial, but also has a positive impact on the health and quality of nutrition of consumers.

According to Toshev, given that the new type of bread has been accepted around the world and is even gaining popularity in European markets, this innovation can also be useful and affordable for the Russian population.

It is emphasized that such innovative products are attractive not only in terms of nutritional value, but also in terms of economy. In short, the use of locusts and other non-traditional ingredients is considered a modern solution for ensuring price stability and a healthy lifestyle for Russians. Therefore, it is possible that in the near future bread made from locusts will appear on the tables of Russian consumers.