Birgir Örn Smárason, the project manager of NextGen Proteins gave his oppinion in a recent article; Insects rising in the online magazine Aquaculture North America
The article discusses the various possibilities that are emerging in the world of new protein sources. Special attention is paid to the changing need that has arisen in the wake of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
climate emergencies and the war in Ukraine are heightening the urgency of finding alternative proteins. With Ukraine ranked eighth just behind Canada in global soybean production, this core commodity has been destabilized. Similarly, small pelagic fish are at risk, as marine heatwaves diminish their abundance, size, and quality. More storms could also limit fishing, say researchers in a March article in PLOS Climate.
So, while insect producers are scaling, some industry watchers ask: Will it be fast enough? How can roadblocks be removed?
“Aquaculture producers and the feed mills need a lot of convincing to introduce new raw materials. They are very conservative. Change happens really slowly,” says Birgir Smarason, a research expert in sustainability and aquaculture in Iceland who is serving as project manager for NextGen Proteins, a four-year European Union project dedicated to accelerating production of proteins from microalgae, single cells, and insects.
The full article is available here: