Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

INTERVIEW FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 59 vitamins, the inclusion of insect-derived ingredients may complement the lack of vitamin B12 in ingredi- ents of vegetal origin or in organic farming 2 . Biologically speaking, insects are not at all new to fish, poultry or swine species: in their natural en- vironment, such animals eat larvae, flies or other insects. These ‘ingredients’ now reappear ‘on their plate’, contributing directly to animal growth, de- velopment, health and welfare (e.g. stimulating the natural behaviour of these animals. I would also like to add: IPIFF developed an explan- atory factsheet on the nutritional benefits of insects in animal feed. It collects information and data notably on the nutritional values and health benefits of insects used as feed in aquaculture, poultry and pigs. How will insects contribute to sustainability in livestock and animal food production? What are the future promises of the insect industry for sustainable production? The sustainability of insect farming is confirmed by its reduced environmental footprint and high ef- ficiency in terms of water and land footprint. Thanks to the vertical farming techniques implemented, in- sect farming requires less arable land (insect farmers use ‘crates’ aligned vertically). Moreover, in addition to their numerous advantages for animal nutrition, the presence of antimicrobial agents (e.g. chitin, lau- ric acid) in insects has been efficient against patho- gens, confirming their high potential to reduce the use of antibiotics in animal farming. In order to reach the EU Green Deal objective of the transition towards climate neutrality and lower environmental footprint of the farming industry, one of the most recent scientific developments was the re- search on the performance of insect farming (i.e. Life Cycle Assessment). This research consists of studying the different inputs and outputs of the overall pro- duction and providing insights on how to overcome possible environmental challenges. Further optimis- ing such farming practices is key to achieve climate neutrality in agriculture by 2050 - in line with the EU Gren Deal. So what is the global acceptability of using insects in human and animal nutrition? In which regions are insects more widely accepted as a food or raw material, and in which regions a more negative approach? European consumers’ attitude around food is grad- ually changing - while the demand for a high protein targeted nutrition food is also growing. As the need for sustainable complementary sources of proteins is increasing, consumers start to show interest in food that has a lower environmental footprint or health benefits, such as insects. Consumers’ perception may also change depend- ing on the regional/national availability and acces- sibility 3 of insect-based and insect-derived products and the different dietary habits across Europe (e.g. flexitarians, organic food consumers or those follow- ing a paleo diet are generally paying more attention to sustainable food sourcing and/or to the health ef- fects of what they eat 4 ). In terms of animal nutrition, we see higher consumer awareness with respect to the benefits of insects as feed. Such consumers also value that insects are part of the natural diet of farmed an- imals such as poultry, pigs or carnivorous fish. IPIFF believes that targeted communication to- wards the consumers - especially on the many advan- tages of edible insects and derived products such as powder and oil (taste, nutritional and environmen- tal) is key. References: 1. According to a recent study ‘Quantification of food waste per product group along the food supply chain in the European Union: a mass flow analysis’ (Caldeira et al., 2019). 2. Which could lead to nutrient deficiency and lower product quality? 3. The regulatory framework of a country influenc- es the consumers’ perception towards these products. In terms of edible insects, please refer to the IPIFF FAQs on Novel Food to have a full picture on the countries in which they are allowed. 4. For more information, please consult the IPIFF Market factsheet on edible insects.