This SUSINCHAIN one-day workshop was implemented virtually on 7 October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the goal of discussing the most relevant supply-side barriers to large-scale commercialisation of insect proteins in Europe and its potential solutions, the workshop gathered 70 participants online into six working groups with specific topics for discussion: rearing of insects, insect storage & processing, use of insects in feed, use of insects in food, safety, and sustainability.
The workshop has led to very interesting discussions across diverse topics, in particular highlighting discrepancies in EU and national regulations and interpretations. In addition, the following topics were highlighted as focus points:
- ➡️ Standardisation & harmonisation
- ➡️ Use of media and approaching consumers (in both feed and food markets)
- ➡️ Lack of knowledge on safety
- ➡️ Need for regulation covering insects specifically, taking into account the differences among insect species
- ➡️ Health and nutrition aspects related to animal feed
- ➡️ Bulk markets vs Speciality markets
