[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7245\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EInsects could help increase Europe\u2019s food self-sufficiency but will they catch on?\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the world population grows, it will be a challenge to meet everyone\u2019s nutritional needs with traditional sources of protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe global population is expected to increase by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.un.org\/development\/desa\/en\/news\/population\/world-population-prospects-2019.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E2 billion people\u003C\/a\u003E in the next 30 years while meat production is likely to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/ag\/againfo\/themes\/en\/meat\/home.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Edouble\u003C\/a\u003E in the same period to meet demand. This will have a significant environmental impact since raising livestock requires a lot of land \u2013 about \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/i3253e\/i3253e05.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E70% of the total used for agriculture \u003C\/a\u003E\u2013 and emits up to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/01\/25\/climate\/cows-global-warming.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E18% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew protein sources are needed for animals, too. About \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/IP_19_161\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E14 million tonnes of soya beans\u003C\/a\u003E are imported by the EU every year to feed livestock such as pigs, cattle and chicken. Not only is the region reliant on imports, but the carbon footprint of transporting the crop is a concern as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Europe as a whole wants to be more self-sufficient when it comes to food,\u2019 said Birgir \u00d6rn Sm\u00e1rason, a sustainable food production researcher at food and biotech company Matis, in Reykjavik, Iceland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd if Europe is to meet the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/sustainable-development-goals\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Esustainable development goals\u003C\/a\u003E and targets to limit climate change, sustainable protein sources will need to play a part. Edible insects, for example, can be reared using \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4781901\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E50% to 90% less land\u003C\/a\u003E in comparison to conventional livestock and produce \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/i3253e\/i3253e05.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eabout 100 times less greenhouse gas emissions\u003C\/a\u003E. Furthermore, they can be fed organic waste \u2013 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/335580326_Food_Wastes_as_a_Potential_New_Source_for_Edible_Insect_Mass_Production_for_Food_and_Feed_A_review\u0022\u003Ediscarded food\u003C\/a\u003E that often ends up in landfill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the promise of bug protein, using insects as animal and human food has yet to catch on. Technical issues mean they can\u2019t be reared in large enough quantities. Regulation is a sticking point. Current EU legislation permits insects as feed in aquaculture but not for livestock. However, exemptions are soon expected to be made for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.feednavigator.com\/Article\/2020\/03\/13\/EU-policymakers-make-progress-on-PAPs-legislative-roadmap\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Epoultry and pigs\u003C\/a\u003E. And insects are still a niche human food sold only in some countries. That could change soon though as the European Food Safety Authority is expected to approve some edible insects for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2020\/apr\/03\/insects-likely-approved-human-consumption-by-eu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ehuman consumption\u003C\/a\u003E this year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Europe, there exists a cultural barrier too since there is still a disgust factor associated with eating insects.\u0026nbsp;In Asian, African and Latin American countries, foraged insects are a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/i3253e\/i3253e.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eregular part of the diets\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of some 2 billion people,\u0026nbsp;Sm\u00e1rason\u0026nbsp;points out. Acceptance among Europeans is one issue he and colleagues hope to address.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018Europe as a whole wants to be more self-sufficient when it comes to food.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EBirgir \u00d6rn Sm\u00e1rason, Matis, Reykjavik, Iceland\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtein alternatives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESm\u00e1rason and his colleagues think that insects such as crickets for human consumption and black soldier flies for animals are promising protein alternatives that can be produced locally, as well as microalgae and single-cell proteins. Single-cell proteins are produced from microbes feeding on sugars from woody biomass such as branches and roots left over from forestry. The researchers are investigating how to optimise production of these protein types both for human and animal food as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/862704\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ENextGenProteins\u003C\/a\u003E project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMicroalgae, for example, is typically expensive to produce. But the team is working with an Icelandic company that has teamed up with a geothermal power plant to cut costs by using its sustainably-produced electricity, excess hot and cold water and carbon dioxide emissions \u2013 the only food the algae needs to grow. \u2018It\u0027s a very unique and sustainable process,\u2019 said Sm\u00e1rason.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompanies that produce food are also involved in the project. They have brought forward ideas for new alternative protein products, from imitation meats to energy drinks and bars, which they hope to bring to market. Sm\u00e1rason and his colleagues will be interacting with consumers to gauge their willingness to incorporate novel protein products in their diet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We are setting up consumer focus groups in different countries where we will be gathering this information,\u2019 said Sm\u00e1rason. He says it\u2019s also important to communicate to consumers why they should consider these alternative proteins as well as asking them in what form they would consume it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince starting six months ago, the project has been gathering information about the three proteins, including their nutritional content, structure and solubility. Although they all have similar protein content, making up between 50 to 65% of their dry mass, they differ in terms of fat content. Insects, for example, are high in fat whereas single-cell protein is almost fat-free. Their characteristics will be useful for the development of specific food products or animal feed that need to meet different nutritional requirements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the coming months, members of the team will start conducting tests on animals to see how their growth and health is affected when different amounts of each of the three proteins are incorporated separately in their feed. Initial small-scale tests will involve salmon and sea bass. They will need to work out what the maximum inclusion for the different proteins in feed is so they can scale up the trial, says Sm\u00e1rason.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Rather than being eaten whole, insects could be ground up and used as ingredients in baked goods such as this cricket flatbread. Image credit - Nanna Roos\u0022 height=\u0022797\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/cricket-flatbread_sm.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022Rather than being eaten whole, insects could be ground up and used as ingredients in baked goods such as this cricket flatbread. Image credit - Nanna Roos\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003ERather than being eaten whole, insects could be ground up and used as ingredients in baked goods such as this cricket flatbread. Image credit - Nanna Roos\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESubstitutes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProving that alternative proteins can be nutritious substitutes is only part of the puzzle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProducing them on a large scale will need to be viable and cost effective for them to be widely used. Insects, for example, are already being reared in small quantities but they are a more expensive source of protein compared to soybean meal and fish meal which typically feature in animal feed. \u2018By scaling up, we can reduce the cost price,\u2019 said Dr Teun Veldkamp, senior researcher in animal nutrition at Wageningen Livestock Research in Wageningen, the Netherlands.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo that end, Dr Veldkamp and his colleagues are focusing on boosting the quantity of insects produced in Europe by improving technologies and developing new techniques as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/861976\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ESUSINCHAIN\u003C\/a\u003E project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrying techniques such as microwave or low energy electron beam systems used to process fruits and vegetables, for example, will be investigated for the production of insect-based animal feed. Tests will then be carried out with fish, chicken and piglets to see how they respond to different types of processed insect feed, which will be of varying quality depending on the techniques used. \u2018We will measure the performance of these animals looking for feed intake, for body weight gain and feed conversion ratio,\u2019 said Dr Veldkamp.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project also aims to develop new feed for insects. They can be reared on vegetable waste such as potato starch and other byproducts from potato processing. However, standardised feed will be needed to produce insects in large quantities. \u2018We are looking to make a standard mixture to grow the insects because then you will also have a more consistent quality,\u2019 said Dr Veldkamp.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMembers of the team will also be developing insect food products for humans. Instead of products where insects are visible, such as cookies topped with crickets, they will create insect meal that can be incorporated into staple foods such as pasta and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brusselstimes.com\/all-news\/art-culture\/93845\/belgians-swap-butter-for-bugs-in-new-food-study\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ebaked goods\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince the project started last October, they have come up with six new food products such as falafel, flatbread and minced meat that will now go through consumer testing. \u2018We are focusing on products you can use on a daily basis because we think that for society this will have the most impact,\u2019 said Dr Veldkamp.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the project comes to an end in 2023, Dr Veldkamp hopes that their results will encourage new companies to start rearing insects and existing companies to ramp up production. The goal is to attain a thousand-fold increase in both production amounts and jobs in the sector by 2025, while substituting animal protein with insect protein in 20% of human food and 10% of animal feed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The knowledge developed in this project should make it interesting for feed companies to buy these products and to make the exchange with soybean meal or fish meal,\u2019 said Dr Veldkamp.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-l3gq-l5clobay1hyldx1ldnt3oszwrartlc0ztpmufw\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-l3gq_L5ClObAy1HylDx1Ldnt3oSzwrarTLC0zTPMufw\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]