Ants Featured in Unique Restaurant Desserts in Denmark

Ice cream, mascarpone, and milk-washed cocktails might sound pretty standard, right? But a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Denmark has added a surprising twist—they’re all made with ants.

Alchemist, located in Copenhagen and currently sitting at No. 5 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, has a reputation for pushing culinary boundaries. They call themselves “part science lab” and love experimenting with different ingredients.

The whole ant thing started when chefs noticed that milk curdled after being left in a fridge with an ant. This sparked a series of experiments, involving experts like Nabila Rodríguez Valerón, who specializes in flavor fermentation at a Danish food tech company. She used to work at Alchemist and coauthored a study detailing these unique findings, published recently in the journal iScience.

Going way back, fermentation of milk into products like cheese can be traced for about 9,000 years to areas in modern-day Turkey, according to the study. Typically, microbes from natural plants like pine cones can start this process, thickening the milk into a tangy yogurt.

Interestingly, after microbiologists figured out how to make yogurt in a lab in the early 20th century, yogurt recipes shifted significantly—from complex traditional methods to much simpler, industrialized ones containing just a couple of bacterial species.

That’s where this study becomes intriguing. Traditional yogurt typically has not only the two main bacteria but also countless others, adding to its depth and character. Veronica Marie Sinotte, the lead author and a biologist at the University of Copenhagen, emphasized this complexity in her observations.

The research team looked at a traditional Bulgarian practice of using red wood ants for yogurt-making, hoping that the ants’ natural enzymes and microbes could enhance fermentation.

In fact, the researchers traveled to a Bulgarian village, home to coauthor Sandra B. Andersen, to gather information on this fading practice. While locals only had vague memories of it, they assisted the team in trying to recreate the yogurt.

Eventually, the team created their version by milking a cow, warming the milk, adding four live ants, and burying it in the ant colony. They found that even though it was a bit chilly in early May, the next day the milk had begun to thicken and showed signs of turning into yogurt, with a pleasantly tangy flavor.

Tasting the Ant Yogurt

To see how this ant yogurt could fit into culinary applications, Alchemist’s R&D team crafted three unique dishes that included live, frozen, and dehydrated ants.

The first was an “ant-wich” ice cream made with sheep yogurt fermented by live ants. This intriguing dessert was placed between cookie layers shaped like ants, accompanied by an ant-infused gel. The researchers noted that the ants lent a distinctive acidity that balanced out the creaminess of the milk.

Next was a goat milk mascarpone, which featured dehydrated ants to initiate fermentation. While its texture resembled traditional mascarpone, the flavor had a bold intensity akin to mature cheese.

The final dish was a milk-washed cocktail. Normally, citrus acids are used for curdling, but in this case, they substituted dehydrated ants. Mixed with apricot liqueur and brandy, it created a complex and silky drink. Sinotte described the cocktail as “phenomenal,” highlighting the intricate acidity the ants contributed.

The complexity shines through when you combine various microorganisms, according to coauthor Valerón, comparing it to the nuances found in foods like sourdough or soy sauce.

It seems the “ant-wich” was a hit; a spokesperson mentioned it remained on the menu for a year, getting a warm reception from diners.

Further experiments in Denmark included lab studies with ants that were closely related to those in Bulgaria. The researchers found that crushing live ants and warming the milk improved fermentation results far better than using frozen or dehydrated ants.

Live ants effectively introduced various acids to the milk, resulting in a vibrant mix of lactic acid bacteria in their yogurt. Unfortunately, the frozen and dehydrated ants did not yield the same beneficial effects, noted for containing undesired bacterial species instead.

Experts outside the study were intrigued by the findings. Changqi Liu, a professor at San Diego State University, emphasized that insects could alter food production in exciting ways and expressed interest in trying ant yogurt, provided it’s safely prepared.

However, caution is advised against making ant yogurt at home, as improperly constructed batches could pose food safety risks. The ants used in research are known to carry parasites that could be dangerous to humans.

The researchers exercised caution by filtering milk to remove any harmful parasites while still allowing beneficial bacteria to pass through. While freezing can neutralize some risks, it also poses the danger of foodborne pathogens if not managed correctly.

As the study argues, finding ways to mitigate these safety concerns is crucial. Future research might look into utilizing beneficial bacteria found in ants for fermentation without relying solely on the insects themselves, particularly considering conservation statuses.

Ultimately, promoting a diverse array of microorganisms in food production could lead to healthier options, harnessing the benefits of traditional fermentation practices. Valerón echoed this sentiment, looking forward to what future explorations in microbial fermentation might bring.