Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SUSINCHAIN (SUStainable INsect CHAIN)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-04-01 bis 2022-09-30
The expected global population growth to 9.1 billion people in 2050 and the significant change of global dietary patterns require the world-wide food production to increase by about 60%. The protein supply for feed and food is most critical, and requires a transition in protein sources. Edible insects can upgrade low-grade side streams of food production into high-quality protein, amino acids and vitamins in a very efficient way. Insects are thus considered to be the “missing link” in the food system of a circular and sustainable economy. Insects and insect-derived products have entered the European market since first being acknowledged as a valuable protein source for feed and food production at around 2010. However, scaling up the insect value chain in Europe is progressing at a relative slow pace. The aim of this project is to contribute to novel protein provision for feed and food in Europe by overcoming the remaining barriers for increasing the economic viability of the insect value chain and for opening markets by combining forces in a comprehensive multi-actor consortium. The overall project objective is to test, pilot and demonstrate recently developed technologies, products and processes, to realise a shift up to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher. The project focuses on these crucial activities, as well as living labs and workshops with stakeholders in the insect protein supply chain for feed and food. These activities provide the necessary knowledge and data for stakeholders in the insect value chain to decrease the cost price of insect products, process insects more efficiently and market insect protein applications in animal feed and regular human diets that are safe and sustainable. This will pave the way for further upscaling and commercialisation of the European insect sector.
A conceptual framework has been developed for the analysis of supply-side barriers to large-scale commercialization of insect proteins and barriers and risks will be further elaborated in four surveys of insect chain operators. With respect to insect rearing, a database of all possible physical, biological and chemical pre-treatments of substrates has been constructed and first feed experiments have been completed. Furthermore, transport possibilities for cricket, mealworm and black soldier fly (BSF) eggs have been investigated. To date, different processing techniques are under validation (Microwave drying, Low Energy E-Beam, High Moisture Extrusion and tricanter centrifugation. Protocols and ethical approvals have been completed for animal experiments. Digestibility trials have been conducted or are still on-going for rainbow trout, seabass, salmon, broilers and piglets. Six food producing partners produced a prototype version of food products based on the outcomes of a workshop and shipped these for inspection and for a formal sensory testing by a trained sensory panel. The sensory testing is planned and 5 of the 6 food producing partners have prepared the samples and shipments. The work to develop good safety practices for rearing, storage and transport, and processing, as well as HACCP protocols to safeguard the safety of the insect value chain as performed in the reporting period, provides the building blocks for developing these guidelines for insect producers, processors and users. A database which helps to perform risk and benefit analyses from the environmental perspective was composed including the main actors of insect supply chains in feed and food based on a modular approach related to main industrially applied insect species. Further analysis is based on modelling of supply chains with data from literature, industry and third parties. A stakeholder platform was developed and established to be used for network, discussion and forum between the project partners and project stakeholders. The Stakeholder Platform is located in the project´s website: https://susinchain.eu/stakeholder-platform/. A glimpse of the project´s visual identity can be seen on the project website https://susinchain.eu/.
The project results obtained so far contribute to removing the current gap between insect protein demand and supply, enabling stakeholders in the chain to scale up and to commercialise. Results obtained in the first 18 months of the project form the basis for removing the current barriers for upscaling the insect value chain in Europe. In the next period, we will built upon the obtained results, and use them for further working on activities needed to remove the barriers. Strategies to overcome identified supply- and demand-side barriers for large-scale commercialisation of high-quality insect proteins and to gain trust and consumer acceptance were analysed and are further developed. With respect to insect rearing the chemical composition of the insect and nutritional needs have been compiled per insect species to identify the knowledge gaps. A dataset has been filled with relevant data to be used in subsequent experiments to close the loop in the circular economy and increase the sustainability of the food chain. Validation of processing techniques (Microwave and Radio Frequency drying, High Moisture Extrusion and protein recovery from larvae by using enzymatic pre-treatment combined with continuous tricanter centrifugation) has started and techniques will be further optimized. To reach maximal recovery and viability, controlled atmosphere packaging and cold atmosphere preservation for storage and transport of living insects were tested. Digestibility of different batches of Hermetia illucens meals (fat-extracted protein) produced during the year was determined. Digestibility coefficients will be used to formulate diets for rainbow trout, sea bass, salmon, broilers and piglets to study the effects on performance, health and product quality of livestock. With respect to insects as food, in total six prototype insect-based products were developed suitable for the domestic preparation of regular dinner meals in European households to replace 20% of animal protein in weekly menus. The developed products will be subjected to sensory evaluation and subsequently be tested in consumer studies. Also, optimal transport and processing techniques were monitored for microbiological safety of the insect products. Allergenicity of insect products and also of workers in the chain will be evaluated. Hygiene codes, HACCP protocols, and guidelines for safe insect production will be created and distributed among the supply chain actors. Furthermore, a database including the main actors of insect supply chains in feed and food based on a modular approach related to main industrially applied insect species was composed and this database helps to perform risk and benefit analyses from the environmental perspective. A decision support system will be developed to ensure the growth of the insect value chain in Europe is sustainable. To this end, requirements to be fulfilled to reach positive environmental effects without diminishing the potential for economic profitability when using insects as feed and food will be identified.