Looking for a new and reliable source of proteins? The European Commission, through the voice of EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Ms Stella Kyriakides, reiterated the environmental benefits of insect production for food and feed, when answering MEPs’ questions on the sustainable elements of insect consumption.
According to the European Commission’s Communication on the resilience of food systems[1], in the new geopolitical context, the EU food system needs a real transformation, both at EU and global level.
ValuSect considers that the consumption of insect-based food constitutes an integral part of this major shift, while contributing to achieving a circular, bio-based economy, by producing food and feed proteins in a sustainable way. We are happy to note that this was reaffirmed by the European Commission. Indeed, the European Commission underlined the importance of promoting insects as a new and reliable source of proteins.
The European Commission has also acknowledged a number of studies showing that edible insect production can reduce the environmental impact of the food industry. Insects have low levels of direct emissions due to their relatively low maintenance requirements in terms of water, land and feed use, as well as their high feed conversion efficiency, which gives them the ability to convert low-value dietary energy into high-value protein products.
Let’s keep in mind that, as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy[2], the European Commission has been developing its own food waste strategy, in order to tackle the growing waste problems identified by its services[3]. Insect consumption can be part of the solution to the food waste strategy, as a number of known species can be successfully reared on organic waste streams. In particular, yellow mealworms, recently approved for consumption by EFSA[4], can be reared on dry organic fruit and vegetable waste. This has the potential to address food waste, as well as to promote alternative proteins, in the EU’s new sustainable food systems.
Finally, the potential of insects to replace meals as feed is a promising sustainable use for insects, made in Europe. Indeed, insects are an innovative opportunity to sustainably produce proteins, with limited needs in valuable resources like water, land or plant material. Building on this trend, the European Commission announced that they are currently considering allowing the possibility to use insect proteins in feed for more animal species, other than aquaculture.
As pointed out by the European Commission in its answers to MEPs questions, ValuSect is pleased to emphasize that insect-based food and feed represents a promising opportunity to produce proteins in a sustainable fashion, in the EU renewed and updated sustainable food system.
[1] Communication on Safeguarding Food Security and Reinforcing the Resilience of Food Systems