The commercial insect sector is relatively new and the sector is facing with many research questions for further innovation of the insect chain. The Study Commission on Insects addresses all questions in the area of biomass as substrate for insect rearing, nutritional requirements of insects, insect production, processing methods of insect products, feeding value of insects (products) in animal feed, functional properties of insect products in animal feed, market applications, regulatory issues, consumer acceptance, environmental and socio-economic sustainability. The different aspects will be clustered in different themes and an activity for the future is to install working groups taking care of the different themes. Themes currently formulated are:
- Insects in a circular economy:
Reducing wastes, creating / converting low grade to high grade protein, upgrading biomass to high quality products, biodiversity, reduction of water usage, land use, LCA.
- Insect production
Upscaling of production, microbiological issues, reduction of manpower through automation, selection of suitable insects for specific indications and locations, insect diseases.
- Potential of insect products for feed, food and non-food
Novel processing approaches, developing protocols to determine nutrient requirements of insects, digestibility of insect products in animal feed, optimal and natural feeds, improve shelf life and use of components of insects (e.g., chitin) in feed, food and non-food applications.
- Safety, regulatory issues and consumer acceptance
Safe products, HACCP, Standardization of methods and parameters
- Preparation of the draft scientific program for the annual EAAP meeting, selecting the themes to be included in the program, preparing the call for abstracts and review of the received abstracts and establishing chairs for the different sessions.
- Dissemination of the activities of the Insect SC
- Managing the Insect Website
- Creating strong links with industries
- Creating a European platform for consortia to participate to EU projects
- Planning of workshops
- The planned sessions