Elon Musk has just one word for cockroach milk being touted as next superfood; the bizarre way it's extracted is even more shocking

Elon Musk has reacted with disgust to the possibility of cockroach milk becoming a future superfood. The billionaire entrepreneur responded with a blunt one-word comment, "Gross", after the New York Post shared a report about the unusual substance and the scientific process used to extract it. The New York Post published the report on October 30 under the headline, "Nutritious cockroach milk could be next superfood - and you'll never believe how it's extracted." It discussed research into a protein-rich secretion produced by a particular species of cockroach and whether its nutritional properties could make it useful in food products in the future.

Musk's reaction quickly caught attention online, with social media users sharing their own views on the unusual food ingredient.

What is cockroach milk and why are scientists studying it?

Despite being called milk, the substance is quite different from the dairy milk people commonly consume. It is a nutrient-rich secretion produced by female Pacific beetle cockroaches to feed their developing offspring.


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Scientists have found that the secretion contains protein crystals, fats and sugars. Its nutritional composition has attracted research interest, particularly because the protein crystals are considered a potentially concentrated source of nutrients.

However, obtaining the substance is an unusual and complicated process.

How is cockroach milk extracted?

According to the New York Post report, researchers have studied pregnant Pacific beetle cockroaches to understand how the secretion is produced. The extraction process involves accessing the developing embryos and collecting the protein crystals found inside them.

Scientists are examining the molecular structure of these crystals to understand their nutritional properties and explore whether the substance could eventually be produced through alternative methods.

The labour-intensive extraction process remains one of the major challenges in turning cockroach milk into a commercially viable food ingredient.

Could cockroach milk become the next superfood?

Research into cockroach milk is part of a wider scientific interest in insects as alternative sources of nutrition. Its protein content has prompted questions about whether it could eventually be used in products such as nutritional supplements and protein-based drinks.

A 2026 review published in the journal Insects also examined the potential of insect-derived ingredients in beverages, including protein shakes, tea and other drinks.

However, cockroach milk remains an experimental subject rather than an established food product. More research would be needed to assess its safety, production feasibility, nutritional benefits and potential for large-scale consumption.

Social media users react to Elon Musk's 'Gross' comment

Musk's brief response sparked a wave of reactions, with several social media users expressing disgust at the prospect of consuming a substance extracted from cockroaches.

"I'll stick to coffee, steak and eggs," one user commented. Another questioned how the idea had even been considered as a possible food product, while a third said they wished they had looked away before coming across the report.

Some users responded with humour. One suggested that investors should be asked to drink cockroach milk live on television before it was introduced commercially. Others said they would find it difficult to consume any food or drink made using cockroaches.

While researchers continue to investigate unconventional sources of protein, cockroach milk still has a long way to go before it finds a place in everyday diets. And judging by the online reaction to Musk's comment, convincing consumers could prove just as challenging as developing a practical extraction process.