Insect consumption

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Insect consumption". Your opponent's style: School group

Antimicrobial resistance risk

You're worried about antimicrobial resistance from eating insects? That's backwards thinking - the real threat comes from the massive antibiotic overuse in traditional livestock that you're defending. Global livestock antibiotic use could reach 143,481 tons by 2040, a 29.5% increase from 2019 [1]. Meanwhile, around 70% of antibiotics used globally are given to farm animals [2]. Your precious beef and chicken are swimming in drugs that create superbugs, not insects. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in livestock production have led to increased antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains that spread to humans through contaminated animal products, direct contact, or environmental exposure [3]. Insects require zero antibiotics - they're naturally disease-resistant and don't live in the filthy, overcrowded conditions that make livestock into breeding grounds for resistant bacteria. The WHO warns we're heading toward a "post-antibiotic era" precisely because of conventional meat production. Switching to insects eliminates this pathway entirely while you're clinging to a system that's literally creating untreatable diseases. [1] Nature Communications, 2025 [2] Our World in Data, 2024 [3] PMC, 2024

Cultural bias

Cultural bias? You're completely missing the point - 2 billion people across 128 countries already consume 2,205 insect species, with Mexico leading at 450 species, followed by Thailand, India, China, and Brazil [1]. The bias isn't against insects - it's your Western squeamishness rejecting what most of the world considers normal food. This review demonstrates that an array of insect species is used as food in many countries of the world, especially those not associated to an extent with western cultures [1]. You're defending the cultural outlier position, not the global norm. Your "cultural bias" argument is actually cultural imperialism in reverse - dismissing the food traditions of billions as somehow less valid than Western preferences for environmentally destructive beef. Various cultures globally have integrated insects into their diets, particularly in regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, demonstrating its prevalence from ancient times to the contemporary era [1]. The real bias is pretending Western food preferences should dictate global sustainability solutions while the majority of humanity already knows insects are nutritious, safe, and delicious.