Trends towards healthy eating, “surfing” on new trends and hybrid meat products are among the key drivers for significantly accelerated traction within the European insect protein space. Increasing research and development in this field in scientific, technological and, most importantly, regulatory advancements is further supported by positive media coverage and greater availability of insect products. This is according to Christophe Derrien, Secretary General of the International Platform of Insects for Food & Feed (IPIFF), the EU umbrella organization for the insect production sector.

“The trend towards healthy food is driving an increasing consumption of insects in western societies diets, including in Europe. Furthermore, many producers are ‘surfing’ on new popular eating trends in Europe, such as paleo and flexitarian diets, for example. These changes in attitude around food create new opportunities for the insect sector,” Derrien tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “The nutritional benefits and low environmental stress of insects further boosts the trend and opportunities for the insect producing sector,” he adds.

Derrien was speaking as the IPIFF unveiled a new Guidance document on the best practices in quality and hygienic insect production. Initiated in November 2016, the draft Guide contains general recommendations for operators active in the production of insects for food and/or feed to implement best hygiene practices with a view to achieving high levels of consumer protection and animal health.The IPIFF unveiled a new Guidance document on the best practices in quality and hygienic insect production.

Developed in the framework of the EU food and feed safety legislation, IPIFF has transmitted the document to the European Commission (EC) services, given its assessment by the EU Members States representatives. Pending discussion and endorsement by the EC and national authorities, the document may constitute a useful tool for all insect producing companies or those who intend to engage in insect production to implement EU food and feed regulations.

This document has been drafted by an IPIFF internal working group of experts, called “IPIFF Task Force on Good Hygiene Practices,” which represents companies active in the production of insects as food or as feed. based on input coming from producers, this document also reflects standards being followed by European insect producers. The draft has been officially adopted by the IPIFF General Assembly on 21 February 2019. As the EU umbrella organization for insect producers as food or feed, the IPIFF is composed of 50 members, with a majority of 43 companies from 15 different EU countries. 

Focusing on food and feed hygiene, the Guide aims to reflect standards being followed by European insect producers. This covers both food and feed production activities, including breeding, feedstock control, killing and final processing. It contains general recommendations for operators to implement good practices in the area of food and feed safety, following applicable EU regulatory standards. To this end, it also comprises extensive references to the respective EU pieces of legislation. 

The document is mainly intended for insect producers in an EU country. However, it may also serve as a reference for production activities taking place outside the EU. The Guide also applies to subsequent events such as packaging, transport and retail, so long as they take place in the EU, from the EU importer up to the final distribution stage. Similar initiatives have emerged in non-EU countries: e.g., “Good Agricultural Practices standard for Cricket production” developed by the Thai Agricultural Commodity. Furthermore, there are projects currently under development and finalized Guides at an EU national level. The document is a non-binding document, drafted under the sole initiative of the IPIFF association. However, IPIFF has consulted EU representative organizations from the food and feed chain in the drafting of the Guide and has strived to reflect input from those associations into the document, whenever deemed appropriate. 

“The Guide is developed in accordance to the EU Hygiene Regulatory framework and is developed by our members, the higher majority of whom being European producers. So this document also reflects standards being followed by European insect producers active in the production of insects for food and/or feed,” Derrien explains. 

A market ready for insects?
The Guide aims to support the effective implementation of EU food and feed safety legislation by producers, an important direction to be taken to shape the production in accordance to the EU regulatory framework. “More generally, it also contributes to profile our sector as a ‘responsible’ industry, therefore consolidating our credit towards EU policymakers. This could undoubtedly help to convince the EU public authorities to widen the current EU regulatory possibilities for using insects as food and/or feed,” he adds. For example, it could open up the poultry market and authorization of novel food dossiers for insects

Derrien notes that regulatory aspects are in the pipeline, and the authorizations are underway for the products as they undergo scrutiny for insects as food. Feed for aquaculture is authorized and further utilization of insect-based feed in poultry is underway too. On the latter, reflections and discussions are ongoing at EU level between the EC and Member States authorities.

“Currently the European market is moving to respect the EU regulatory proceedings and that is the only way for now. The authorizations of species under ‘novel food’ will bring forth larger avenues, opportunities and safe nutritious and advanced products for consumers,” he explains.

For Derrien, edible insects represent a promising source for food manufacturers, who intend to enrich their products with protein content, notably targeting specific categories of consumers/markets (e.g., sports nutrition, food supplements and dietetic food). Although these constitute some “niche markets,” these markets are forecasted to proliferate in the next few years. 

“Besides, we see an increasing demand for hybrid meat products or for functional food (for which insects may represent a promising solution in the future) which, to some extent, also contribute to the growth of the sector in Europe,” he adds. 

“Insects can be used in a range of ways in response to particular demands from the food industry and consumers: e.g., they can be consumed as whole insects or processed into a granular powder, all the way to extracted products,” says Derrien. “Yet, one should be clear that insects are not expected to replac meat in our diets entirely, considering varied eating styles and diets across Europe, which therefore require a wide variety of products and ingredients,” he adds.

Illustrating the market advance of this segment, it recently emerged that French ag-tech innovator Ÿnsect, had raised US$125 million in Series C round funding to build the “world’s biggest insect farm.” 

“These businesses provide practical evidence in portraying possibilities in processing and large-scale production of insects,” notes Derrien.

One of the key challenges will undoubtedly be market acceptance for an insect-based product by a western consumer wher these products have no tradition in the diet. A “yuck” factor is at play for many. 

“The yuck factor can only be changed by the right communication which is also a continuous process although slow but steady,” says Derrien. “The yuck factor is, however, not the main issue we should focus on: to achieve wider market acceptance, producers and advocates should focus on the high satisfaction of early adopters,” he concludes.