Farmers and consumers increasingly open to using insects

Insects are slowly making their way into our food chain, according to a recent survey. Of the 415 farmers surveyed during the Agriflanders agricultural fair in January this year, only 17% objected to the idea of adding insects to animal feed as a source of protein, writes metrotime.be.

The end products are generally seen as sustainable, nutritious and healthy, but some of the concerns include possible changes in taste or smell, risk of allergens and difficulty marketing the products, according to the team of researchers at University of Ghent’s faculty of bioscience engineering, which conducted the study. The results were published in the journal Animal Feed Science and Technology.

“The attitudes towards the use of insects in animal feed and resulting livestock products are generally favourable, so has recent scientific research shown. The use of insects in animal feed is one potential solution to improve the sustainability of animal diets and maintain legitimacy for livestock production within society,” the researchers conclude.