Is cockroach milk safe to consume and are there any potential health risks?

What is cockroach milk?

Cockroach milk is the nickname for protein crystals found in Diploptera punctata, the Pacific beetle cockroach, described as the only known cockroach that gives birth to live young. The mother produces a nutrient-rich liquid that feeds the embryos, and it forms protein crystals. A 2016 study in the journal IUCrJ described the structure of these crystals.

Is cockroach milk safe to drink?

Nobody can say it is safe, because it has not been assessed for people. A science news article on the research discusses hopes of producing the crystal protein in yeast, since extracting it from cockroach guts would be inefficient. It does not address food safety, regulatory approval or human testing, and we found none. So there is no tested dose, no label and no known safe way to buy it. Any product claiming to be cockroach milk should be treated with suspicion.

What were the claims about nutrition?

Researchers described the crystals as containing proteins, fats and sugars, including all the essential amino acids. News coverage reported that a single crystal holds more than three times the energy of an equivalent amount of buffalo milk, and the article says the protein is released gradually during digestion. These are claims about crystals in a lab, not about a drink. The same article says the crystals are not suited to people trying to lose weight, and are probably unnecessary in Western diets where calorie intake is already high.

What are the possible risks?

• Unknown safety: no human studies or approvals were found.
• Allergy: insects and cockroach material are a known trigger of allergy and asthma for some people; this is general medical knowledge, not something the studies tested.
• Contamination: wild or household cockroaches can carry germs, so never collect or eat them. This is also general knowledge.
• Calories: very dense if it ever became a supplement.

Will it ever be a food?

The scientists hope to produce the proteins in yeast, which would avoid using insects at all. That would still need testing and approval before sale. If you have a medical condition, ask a doctor before trying novel supplements.