This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Here's something to get you chirping: a Utah entrepreneur has created a new energy bar made with cricket flour.
Inspired by techniques used by the Aztecs, founder/owner Pat Crowley bakes crickets and then grinds them into a fine powder to make his unique Chapul bars.
Jiminy's ground up ancestors are actually a small — and tasteless— portion of the recipe that also includes dates, nuts, agave and ginger. But the flour packs a powerful punch as it has 1/3 more protein per ounce than leading protein powder products, Crowley claims.
Crowley is trying to raise $10,000 through Kickstarter donations so he can launch the product. So far, he has collected more than $6,700 with 13 days to go.
"We recognize that eating insects seems radical, and to a lot of Americans, it will seem like an episode of 'Fear Factor," Crowley wrote in his online business pitch. "Yet, 80 percent of the world's population regularly munches insects as part of a healthy diet. The aversion to insects in the U.S. and Europe is purely psychological."
Crowley has already hired a chef, perfected two recipes, received approval from the FDA and Utah health authorities.
If he gets enough donations, he will use the $10,000 to buy ingredients, packaging and labels; purchase specialized milling equipment; and update his website.
To learn more or make a donation — any amount is welcome — visit Crowley's Kickstarter page at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/466721916/the-worlds-first-cricket-bar?ref=city