Chocolate scorpions with sting in the tail

THIS may be unpalatable news. Upmarket store Harvey Nichols has launched a range of insect-based food products including worm crisps, chocolate covered scorpions, and toasted ants. And if that sounds distasteful enough, the bad news is not only will you have to hold your nose while you eat them, you'll have to pay through the nose too.

The unusual range, priced from 2.95 for a packet of worm crisps to 15.95 for a tin of toasted ants, has been launched in Harvey Nichols' Edinburgh store. The line also includes Thai green curry flavoured crickets, toffee scorpion candy, Tequila lollipops with real worms inside and civet coffee, which is made from coffee beans that are prepared for roasting by being passed through a civet cat. There is also a type of tea, which claims to have been picked by trained monkeys.

The range, called Edibiles, was also on sale yesterday at Harvey Nichols' new Glasgow Pop Up shop, which will be open in the St Enoch's centre until Christmas. A spokesperson for Harvey Nichols said: "People are always looking for something different and the selection of Edibles from all over the world could not be any more different.

"We picked the favourite treats on offer from around the world. The sales are doing really well, and top of the list is the chocolate covered scorpions, followed by the Civet coffee."

Edible's range was highlighted last week when headteacher Aydin Onac ate a tarantula during assembly to raise funds for a school project.

Aydin, head at St Olave's Grammar School in Orpington, said: "It wasn't until I opened the container and saw how big it was that I started to feel very nervous. It tasted quite salty, and a little bit like burnt chicken. It felt crunchy and very dry in the mouth, like eating those very dry cheese biscuits, so it was difficult to swallow. As I was eating it I was thinking about the quickest route to the cloakroom and whether I would still be alive by break time."

The spider came from Cambodia, where tarantulas are farmed and eaten as a delicacy. The spiders are usually deep fried and cooking negates the effects of any toxins they carry.