Cockroach powder is being promoted in China as a cheap substitute for protein powder as prices for the supplement climb. China Central Television also flagged safety concerns about the product.
CCTV reported on the 18th that some sellers are marketing cockroach powder as extremely high in protein and priced at about one-tenth the cost of whey protein powder. Sellers promote it as "wild cockroach powder." The trend has emerged alongside consumer demand for low-cost alternatives as protein supplement prices surge.
Demand for health and nutrition products in China has risen steadily in recent months, pushing prices higher. One popular 1.8-kilogram product rose about 17.5% to 469 yuan (about 94,000 won) from 399 yuan (about 80,000 won). Products from other brands rose 10% to 20%. Complaints are mounting on local social media and at gyms.
Song Liang, an economic expert at a Chinese agricultural and dairy industry alliance, cited higher raw material costs and rising import expenses as the main drivers of the price increases. The price of whey protein, the main ingredient, has more than doubled from a year earlier, while customs clearance and ocean freight costs have also increased, he said.
The price increases are not limited to China. China Daily reported in July, citing data from StoneX, that prices for whey protein concentrate rose 108% and whey protein isolate rose 139% over the past two years.
Industry forecasts suggest high prices will persist because production capacity for high-value whey protein is difficult to expand quickly. The spread of high-protein diets and increased protein intake among consumers taking weight-loss drugs are also lifting demand. In the United States, wholesale whey powder prices have risen more than 50% since January, according to reports.
CCTV, however, pointed to safety problems with the product. Most packaging carried no manufacturer information or quality certification. Few products marketed as "wild cockroach powder" had submitted inspection reports. Many sellers were classifying the product as traditional Chinese medicine.
The broadcaster warned that raw material harvested in the wild is more likely to carry pathogenic microorganisms, posing health risks if consumed. Conventional protein powders disclose information such as the stability of raw materials, while cockroach powder lacked even basic details, it said.
Rao Zhiyong, a dietitian at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, said that even cockroaches meeting hygiene standards do not have a balanced protein composition. Based on composition alone, the product is unlikely to replace existing protein powders, he said.