``Cricket rice cracker'' tasting review in which crickets were made into powder and kneaded into a rice cracker

'Cricket senbei, ' which is 'a simple composition without using extra ingredients to make use of the cricket taste,' was pre-sold at MUJI's online store from May 20, 2020. The cricket senbei I purchased actually arrived at the GIGAZINE editorial department, so I actually tried the rumor insect food, which is nutritious and

When I opened the box, the word 'Cricket' appeared under the packing material.

When I took it out, the package looked like this. Like the regular MUJI packaging, the cricket and the cricket are not particularly pushed out to the front, so it doesn't seem strange even if they are lined up in a display shelf.

The content is 55g, and the package size is about this compared to the 2nd generation iPhone SE with a total length of 138.4 mm.

'In consideration of the future of the earth, we made a rice cracker containing cricket powder. It has a savory flavor like shrimp.' The reason for 'the future of the earth' is that insect foods such as cricket powder are expected to save the food crisis that may occur in the future. Around the world, some farmers have already moved from livestock to cricket farming.

There was also a QR code to a

Looking at the name of the raw material you are interested in, the first thing you can see is 'potato starch (domestic)', the next is 'corn starch', and the third is 'edible cricket powder'. The raw material names are listed in order of increasing content, so crickets do not seem to be the main ingredient.

Calories are 213kacl per bag 55g, protein 4.6g, lipid 1.5g, carbohydrates 45.4g, salt equivalent 2.1g. Since cricket powder contains ingredients similar to crustaceans, 'please refrain from having shrimp and crab allergies.'

I opened it on a plate.

This is about the amount. When you approach your nose, it will have a slight shrimp-like scent, even though it does not contain shrimp.

The size of one rice cracker is about 4 cm in diameter.

The thickness is about 1 mm.

A closer look at the surface reveals a mixture of black debris, which is reminiscent of cricket feet and wings.

So when I ate it, the taste was completely 'Ebisen'. When it is set on the impact of the name 'Cricket rice cracker', it has a normal taste. It had a faint soy sauce flavor, was fragrant, and had a flavor that was 'perfect for a snack and a light taste for sake'.

When I was eaten by multiple people, the impression that it was 'almost shrimp' was common. In addition, it has less scent and is easier to eat than commercially available shrimp. “It has a good balance of umami and salt, and you can't stop eating like potatoes.” “If you concentrate on the smell, you will feel less seafood and feel the scent of the soil.” There was an impression such as 'I have a bitter burnt bitterness and a little irony smell. Is this the taste of crickets...?'

One bag of cricket rice crackers is 190 yen including tax, and it is sold at the unstored online store, but it is out of stock at the time of article creation. Next, it will be sold at an online store in mid-June.

Mujirushi Ryohin
https://www.muji.com/jp/ja/store