Yuck or yum? Swiss offer mealworm larvae burgers

GENEVA - Swallow deeply, pinch the nose and repeat the mantra: "Tastes like beef, tastes likes beef." Then bite into the burger of rice, chopped vegetables, spices and mealworm larvae.

The Swiss supermarket chain Coop, to a bit of domestic hoopla, has begun selling burgers and balls made from insects. It's being billed as a legal first in Europe, a continent more accustomed to steak, sausage, poultry and fish as a source of protein.

The goal is to convince leery consumers to try a nutritious, if unusual food that "preserves the planet's resources," Coop says.