Imperiously licking its chops, a ginger cat relishes the last bites of the mash caught in his whiskers, undisturbed by the rather unusual staple ingredient of his meal: silkworm chrysalis.
The fifteen felines at the “Mao Thai Thai” café for cat lovers in Taiwan are among the testers of these new, multi-beneficial pâtés.
“Cats have more energy and their droppings smell less strong.
It's beyond what I expected, ”says café manager Rosa Su.
The pâtés are available in several flavors: tuna, beef, chicken.
But the main protein component of this pink porridge is indeed an insect.
An ingredient rich in protein
At the century-old Miaoli agricultural research and extension station, where the pâtés are created, hundreds of worms wriggle in trays, munching on mulberry leaves.
The chrysalis is the intermediate stage of their life cycle, when they form cocoons to pass from the larva to the adult.
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Pupae are already high in protein, fat, and minerals, and Miaoli's team has developed a technique to increase the content of immune proteins that kill harmful bacteria.
By making the worms believe they are in danger, they produce more of these antimicrobial proteins in the cocoon, which is then harvested and made into cat food.
This innovative use of silkworm cocoons could be a lifeline for Taiwan's remaining silkworm breeders.
Formerly hundreds, today there are only two in operation.