China’s whey protein powder prices continue to rise, leading some fitness enthusiasts to search for lower-cost alternatives. One such alternative, “cockroach powder,” priced at less than a tenth of traditional protein powder, has sparked attention. However, experts warn that these products lack corresponding food safety standards, and their nutritional composition is difficult to substitute for traditional protein powder, leading to controversy over associated consumption risks.
According to a report by the China National Radio and Television Administration’s “Voice of China” on October 18, whey protein powder prices have been steadily increasing over the past two years, with many fitness enthusiasts exclaiming that they can no longer afford it. Some fitness enthusiasts stated, “It has increased too much. I bought it for over 200 yuan two years ago, and now it’s 474 yuan.”
The report indicated that this year, whey protein powder prices have further risen. Taking a famous domestic brand’s 4-pound instant whey protein powder as an example, the selling price was 399 yuan in March this year but has now increased to 469 yuan, representing an increase of approximately 17.5%. Prices of some products from other brands have also seen increases ranging from 10% to 20%.
Amid the rise in whey protein powder prices, cockroach powder made from American cockroaches has become a hotly discussed low-cost alternative on the internet.
According to reports, cockroach powder is sold on various e-commerce platforms, with prices of less than 20 yuan per catty (500 grams). Some merchants even directly label the product title as a “substitute for protein powder.” Based on this, some netizens calculated that cockroach powder’s protein content reportedly can reach 70%, yet its price is less than a tenth of regular protein powder.
However, a investigation by China National Radio found that some cockroach powder products lack manufacturer information on the packaging and do not provide quality certification. Some products labeled as “wild cockroach powder” do not include testing reports, and merchants often sell them under the guise of “Chinese medicinal ingredients.”
Rao Zhiyong, chief nutritionist at the Clinical Nutrition Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, stated that cockroach powder is not a conventional food ingredient. Even if the raw materials meet certain hygiene standards, its protein composition remains unbalanced, making it difficult to replace traditional protein powder.
Recently, these discussions have also garnered attention on Weibo.
One netizen, posting under the username “Winter Wheat on the Attack,” stated, “With the recent increase in the price of protein powder, online debates have erupted: grinding American roaches (cultivated cockroaches) into powder, with a high protein content at an extremely low price, some even directly call it a protein powder substitute. In conclusion: the numbers look good, but it can’t replace whey protein powder at all, and the risk is not insignificant!”
Another netizen, under the username “Rarely Drink Mung Bean Congee,” wrote that this notion of “substitution” couldn’t stand up, stating, “The numbers for cockroach powder do look good: dried and ground, the crude protein content can exceed 60%. However, protein isn’t just about content. The cockroach exoskeleton is chitin, which humans almost cannot digest. Some proteins will be taken away as is, and how much can actually be absorbed is still inadequately researched. Furthermore, in terms of amino acid composition, it still has a long way to go when compared to whey, a benchmark in the industry.”
“The harder part is its origin. American cockroaches are mainly found in pharmaceutical plant workshops and feed barrels, not listed in the national new food ingredient directory. Selling it as a food is already illegal. Adding another layer: cockroaches are still one of the most common allergens, with a significant number of people affected.”
Renowned Weibo user “Dr. Chen in Obstetrics and Gynecology” posted, “Even if protein powder becomes expensive, as humans, we shouldn’t resort to eating pig feed, right? Moreover, if protein powder is expensive, we can just eat egg whites. Is it worth it to eat cockroaches?” ∼