Why bugs should be a bigger part of the human food chain

News:  Recently, the EU (European Union) approved the use of insects for human consumption.

The decision paves the way for an alternative protein source that can play a critical role in food & nutritional security. Further, the Insect protein Industry has huge economic and environmental potential.

How insect proteins can ensure sustainability in our food system?

Currently, the animal feed industry relies heavily on water and carbon-intensive farming of grains. Globally, animal farms consume more than a third of the world’s total grain production.

But the cost of agrochemical inputs is increasing, and freshwater resources are becoming increasingly unreliable.

In this context, Insect proteins become a valuable indirect food source as feedstock for poultry, farmed fish, pork, and beef which are currently dependent on environmentally costly soy and corn feeds.

Insect-based animal feeds could be this industry’s best solution for building climate resilience, while also helping us manage a food waste crisis.

How insect proteins are environmentally beneficial?

Consider the case of Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). These infant bugs serve as high-quality chicken and fish feed.

However, it requires 1,000 times less land per unit of protein produced compared to soy production, between 50 and 100 times less water, and zero agrochemical inputs.

A notable advantage of BSFL is that they are fed with food waste. It can play a significant role in keeping the organic waste out of landfills and reclaiming those nutrients, so they can re-enter the food chain.

Moreover, the larvae produce a valuable fertilizer rich with nitrogen and microorganisms as a by-product. It is capable of restoring soil quality and enhancing its carbon storage capacity.

What are the present Challenges to the insect proteins Industry?

The issue of cost: While a unit of poultry feed costs several hundred dollars and fish feed costs about $1,000, insect feeds can cost more than $2,000. As the industry scales up, these costs are expected to rapidly decline.

What more needs to be done?

Need to focus on reforms in three key areas.

-Increasing the varieties of bugs that can be farmed.

-Expanding the uses for these insect proteins. Now permitted only in certain pet foods and limited poultry and aquaculture applications.

-Enabling insect farmers to utilize post-consumer food waste.

Source: This post is based on the article “Why bugs should be a bigger part of the human food chain” published in Livemint on 21^st Dec 2021.