“By the end of the decade, we anticipate that insect farms will become relevant actors in the agri-food chains, upcycling lower value materials into higher value insect-derived products, for food, feed, or other applications. Such farming systems will connect different segments of the agri-food chains, strengthening circularity in food production while also reducing its overall footprint.”
Using existing food resources efficiently, reducing the environmental footprint created by production, feeding the world population that needs more food with a sustainable alternative… These concepts, which we hear more and more, have become indispensable requirements for the future of our planet.
But what do insects have to do with all these? Insects, which are the most important food source of animals in natural life, have been consumed as food for centuries by people as well in some regions. Today, insect farming, which has revived as a professional industry, is one of the most important alternatives to meet the requirements we put forward for the future of the world.
We discussed this issue, which we specifically dealt with in our magazine in March, with International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) Secretary General Christophe Derrien this month. In response to our questions on the subject, Derrien emphasizes: “Insects and their-derived ingredients will become a relevant complementary source of human and animal nutrition in the near future.”
Christophe Derrien explains how the insect industry contributes to reducing environmental footprint, to sustainable production and to using existing resources more efficiently, and what it promises for the future.
First of all, could you please give us some information about IPIFF? For what purpose was IPIFF established? Who are the members of it and what kind of work do you do?
The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) is an EU non-profit organisation which represents the interests of the insect production sector towards EU policymakers, European stakeholders and citizens. Originally created in 2012, the association works in close contact with insect farmers and producers – currently 75 members in 23 countries – in bridging the gap between the sector and EU/international institutions by giving information and updates on the regulatory advancements and understanding policy needs. Our organisation integrates academic entities (universities and research institutes) and actors producing equipment and/or machinery in order to have a full picture of the entire production chain. IPIFF’s main mission is to promote, inform and support the wider use of insects as a complementary source of protein for human consumption and animal feed by centring its activities around advocating for appropriate EU legislative frameworks to apply to insect production.
Why have insects or insect-based proteins become so important? Why are we talking about insects more in both human and animal nutrition?
With agriculture being ‘responsible for 10.3% of the EU’s GHG emissions’ – according to the European Environment Agency (EEA) -, the need to develop and support more environmentally friendly practices in agriculture, such as insect farming, is evident.
In parallel, between 90 and 130 million tonnes of food1 is wasted every year in the EU, half of which is generated at the production and/or processing stage. Being highly versatile and efficient, insects can bio-transform many of these materials (before they become ‘waste’) into a wide range of higher-value products and ingredients – that can further be included in the food and feed chains.
Moreover, in recent years, the willingness of consumers to try insect-based food and insect-fed animals is increasing. The demand for complementary sources of protein creates further opportunities for the sector as a growing industry. IPIFF believes that the development of the market in Europe would be driven by accessibility, consumer acceptance and regulatory advancements.
Do you have any data on how many insect producers there are currently in the world?
It is estimated that there are several hundred registered insect producers globally (including start-ups that are still at a very early stage and are not fully established). The majority of the insect producers that are part of IPIFF are enterprises that are already established, following good practices for insect farming, such as those developed and promoted by IPIFF (e.g. such as those mentioned in the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices).
What role do you think insects will play in our lives in the future?
IPIFF believes that insects and insect-based products will play an important role in the future food and feed panorama, thanks to the upcoming regulatory developments which will unlock opportunities for the sector (e.g. upcoming novel food authorisation, expected approval of insect processed animal proteins (PAPs) in poultry and pig feed). More specifically, insects and their-derived ingredients will become a relevant complementary source of human and animal nutrition in the near future. Insects are more than proteins: they contain minerals, vitamins, fibres, but also healthy fatty acids, such as omega 6 and omega 3.
In food, insects may be eaten ‘whole’ or incorporated in a wide range of products – such as snacks, bakery or meat analogues – while in animal feed, insects are compatible with the nutritional needs of aquaculture, poultry, or swine animals.
By the end of the decade, we anticipate that insect farms will become relevant actors in the agri-food chains, upcycling lower value materials into higher value insect-derived products, for food, feed, or other applications (e.g. insect dejecta, called ‘frass’, is a potent organic soil fertiliser). Such farming systems will connect different segments of the agri-food chains, strengthening circularity in food production while also reducing its overall footprint.
Can you also talk a little about the insect species/insect-based proteins used in animal feed? Which insects/insect proteins are used for which animal species?
Presently seven insect species are among the most commonly farmed in the European Union – black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), common housefly (Musca domestica), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), house cricket (Acheta domesticus), banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) and field cricket (Gryllus assimilis). The processed animal proteins (PAPs) of these species are already authorised for fish feed since 2017 following the partial uplifting of the so-called ‘feed ban’. Black soldier fly, yellow mealworm and the common housefly are the most commonly used in feed applications (closer to the nutritional needs of aquaculture, poultry, pigs or pet food animals). The insect-based ingredients derived from these species vary from oil, insect PAPs – while whole insects are also used.
How are insect-based proteins different from other proteins? How do they contribute to animal nutrition in terms of nutritional value, productivity and health?
Insect proteins contain all relevant amino acids for animal nutrition – with adequate levels of amino acids which are seen as limiting factors (e.g. lysine, threonine, methionine, and tryptophan). In terms of vitamins, the inclusion of insect-derived ingredients may complement the lack of vitamin B12 in ingredients of vegetal origin or in organic farming2.
Biologically speaking, insects are not at all new to fish, poultry or swine species: in their natural environment, such animals eat larvae, flies or other insects. These ‘ingredients’ now reappear ‘on their plate’, contributing directly to animal growth, development, health and welfare (e.g. stimulating the natural behaviour of these animals.
I would also like to add: IPIFF developed an explanatory 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 efficiency in terms of water and land footprint. Thanks to the vertical farming techniques implemented, insect 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, lauric acid) in insects has been efficient against pathogens, 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 research on the performance of insect farming (i.e. Life Cycle Assessment). This research consists of studying the different inputs and outputs of the overall production and providing insights on how to overcome possible environmental challenges. Further optimising 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 gradually 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 depending on the regional/national availability and accessibility3 of insect-based and insect-derived products and the different dietary habits across Europe (e.g. flexitarians, organic food consumers or those following a paleo diet are generally paying more attention to sustainable food sourcing and/or to the health effects of what they eat4). 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 animals such as poultry, pigs or carnivorous fish.
IPIFF believes that targeted communication towards the consumers – especially on the many advantages of edible insects and derived products such as powder and oil (taste, nutritional and environmental) 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 influences 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.
