12/16/2023 0 Comments Download mealworms for saleIn 2019 it was estimated that 9 million Europeans consumed insects, which is about 1.2% of the European population in 2019. However only 41 species of insects are eaten in Europe. Entomophagy is also widely practiced in Africa (524 species), Asia (349 species) and Australia (152 species). Most of them are eaten in Central and South America (679 species), and 549 species of insects are consumed in Mexico alone. About 2000 species of insects are eaten in the world today. Humans have eaten insects as a part of their diet for millennia all around the world and today insects are part of the diet of over 2 billion people worldwide. The act of eating insects is called entomophagy and comes from the Greek terms “entomos”, meaning “insects”, and “phagein”, meaning “to eat”. However, knowledge regarding risk posed by edible insects is still lacking, but food and feed safety is essential to put products on the European market. There is an increased knowledge regarding safety concerns of edible insects, and the results indicate that edible insects pose a smaller risk for zoonotic diseases than livestock. European regulations have additionally been rapidly changing, with more freedom towards insects as food and feed. It is concluded that insect farming in Europe is likely to expand rapidly in the coming years, offering new proteins and other valuable products, not only as a feed ingredient, but also for human consumption. The interest of venture capital firms is noticeable, covering 90% of the investment costs in some cases. The results show that the insect farming industry is increasing in Europe, and the success of the frontrunners is based on large investments in technology, automation and economy of scale. A comprehensive literature study was carried out and 27 insect farming companies found listed in Europe were contacted directly. The purpose of this study is to give an overview of the most popular insects farmed in Europe, yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, and black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, together with the main obstacles and risks. This has been changing in recent years, due to increased knowledge regarding the nutritional benefits, the need for novel protein production and the low environmental impact of insects compared to conventional protein production. Insects are part of the diet of over 2 billion people worldwide however, insects have not been popular in Europe, neither as food nor as a feed ingredient.
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