Crickets are also said to be high in calcium, termites rich in iron, and a helping of giant silkworm moth larvae apparently provides all the daily copper and riboflavin requirements.

Insects emit fewer greenhouse gases than cattle and require less feed. Supporters claim they could help feed the world because they are so abundant they provide at least 200 kilograms of biomass for every human.

The European Commission is offering the money to the research institute with the best proposal for investigating ''insects as novel sources of proteins''. It wants research into quality and safety, including potential allergic reactions and the sort of proteins consumed.

Professor Marcel Dicke, leading a team at Wageningen University, in the Netherlands, which is applying for the research grant, said: ''By 2020, you will be buying insects in supermarkets. We will be amazed that in 2011 people didn't think it was going to happen.

''We have already seen the introduction of eggplants, sushi, things people never ate here. I think it will start with ground-up insects in sauces and burgers. Grinding them up will make them look more palatable.''