As the global population continues to grow, we may need to search further afield for cheap, sustainable food alternatives.

A 2013 report from the World Resources Institute warned that Earth’s agricultural system faces a challenging balancing act. The challenge: “To meet different human needs, by 2050 it [the world] must simultaneously produce far more food for a population expected to reach about 9.6 billion, provide economic opportunities for the hundreds of millions of rural poor who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, and reduce environmental impacts, including ecosystem degradation and high greenhouse gas emissions.”

Since then, a number of solutions have been proposed. Insects, for example, have been touted as a meat replacement for some time – they are high in protein, highly sustainable and represent a cheaper alternative to meat.

They have also been eaten widely in many parts of the world for years, including much of Asia.

And a 2014 study from Ghent University in Belgium revealed that one in five meat eaters from the Western world were ready to adopt bugs into their diet – with men more likely than women to accept them.

But researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Germany have recently proposed an alternative ‘future food’ that could be more palatable than adding crushed crickets to your dinner.

Forgotten grains

Friedrich Longin and Tobias Würschum believe that untapped consumer markets exist for ancient foods – such as einkorn, emmer and spelt – which fed large sections of the global population for thousands of years before industrial farming and the green revolution took centre stage.

In an opinion piece published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, the two plant breeders argue that consumer demand in the US and Europe for high quality, healthy food presents an opportunity to reintroduce ancient wheat varieties and other plant species, in turn increasing agricultural biodiversity (without the need for creepy crawlies).

“People are interested in diversity, in getting something with more taste, with healthier ingredients, and ancient grains deliver interesting things,” Longin explains.

By testing and analysing some of the thousands of varieties of ancient wheat species found in gene banks, agronomists and cereal scientists can select those best suited to both modern farming needs and consumer preferences.

And in terms of consumer preferences, I think we can safely argue that a new (or ancient) wheat variety would trump insects as an addition to the 21st century menu.

Take your pick

The wheat flour in widely available breads and baked goods comes almost exclusively from bread wheat – just one of three species, 20 subspecies and thousands of varieties of wheat cultivated and eaten across the world for centuries.

But the development of industrial agriculture and the green revolution in the mid-1900s focused on developing cultivars that produce a high yield and have short stalks which are less likely to collapse and expose the grains to pests or mould. And as other varieties ceased to be commercially viable, traditional dishes and regional food diversity also began to disappear.

However, many of these varieties still exist in gene banks.

In their research, Longin and Würschum screened hundreds of varieties of einkorn and emmer and tested the 15 best candidates at four different locations in Germany. The results proved the importance of looking at the plants holistically.

“When you look at einkorn, it is really fantastic looking in the field, but when you get the agronomic performance, it is low-yielding and it falls down in the rain. But then we found there were so many healthy ingredients, and you taste and even see it in the end product,” says Longin.

Leading by example

Spelt is an example of an ancient grain that has successfully been reintroduced into modern markets. The main cereal crop in Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, spelt had almost completely disappeared by the early 20th century. But after a rediscovery that started in the 1970s, today more than 100,000 hectares of spelt are grown every year in and around Germany, with an annual turnover of €1bn across Europe and an annual growth rate of over 5%.

The potential for these ancient grains is considerable, and the end results, according to the scientists, could create a self-financing strategy for providing high quality foods and preserving ancient species.

So let’s not forget about these grains of yesteryear. They may certainly prove to be more appetising than other ‘leggier’ alternatives.