Integrating insects into our diet is not a new idea. But it still gives the blues to many French people. According to a recent survey carried out by the Protéines France consortium, less than a third of our compatriots plan to put this kind of critters on their plate. Conversely, vegetable proteins occupy an increasingly important place in our meals. 85% of French people even think they are good for your health. This blockage vis-à-vis insects is above all cultural. For us who still consume 85 kilos of animal meat per year and per person, the idea of having a juicy larva or a crispy cricket in our mouths is more like an ordeal than a pleasant moment. And it does not matter if this type of protein is consumed regularly by two billion people on earth, especially in Africa or Asia.
Despite everything, our reluctance could lessen in the future. Because the insect industry is changing. Now, breeders are using genetics to select individuals with higher protein content. By dint of research, they also make their products more digestible. Even their shape changes: no more dried and whole crickets to bite into as an aperitif. “Insects now come in the form of a powder. Without any real taste, it fits easily into many recipes. The flours made from certain larvae are also good substitutes for feeding fish and poultry, which humans then feed on”, observes Christina Nielsen-Leroux, researcher at Inrae and director of research in the Micalis unit (Microbiology of food in the service of health). After decades focused on raising beef, chickens and pigs, has the time for insects finally come? It is in any case the bet of the company Ÿnsect, whose research laboratories are located in the Paris suburbs.
In these secure buildings, right in the heart of Genopole in Evry (Essonne), employees in cosmonaut outfits get down to meticulous work: counting eggs from a small beetle farm carefully selected and fed with the help of homemade translucent jelly. Quality of the offspring, pedigree of the parents, quantity of food consumed… everything is noted, measured, analyzed. “We seek to select the best insects for breeding based on four criteria: growth, reproduction, resistance to pathogens and food efficiency. The goal is to avoid having individuals who are very efficient but weakened by a from a health point of view, while having the lowest possible environmental impact. It’s reasoned selection”, explains Thomas Lefebvre, director of research and development.
In a few weeks, the eggs will turn into mealworms. Once large enough, these larvae will be killed with a jet of steam, then transformed into a powder containing 70% protein. Traditionally, breeders select mostly large beetles to increase the yield of the process. By operating in this way over several years, they can hope to double the size of the larvae. Unfortunately, this rise in the heavyweight category is generally accompanied by a significant increase in mortality. “Biology is a matter of resource allocation, comments Thomas Lefebvre. By betting a lot on one criterion, you lose out on others.”
However, with genetic tools, new perspectives are opening up. Breeders know their insects much better. They can know how one trait influences another. Tomorrow, they will even be able to predict certain characteristics from DNA samples. “We are in the process of replicating what already exists for cow or pig farms”, explains Thomas Lefebvre. The scientist takes a silicone chip a few centimeters across from his pocket. This component will make it possible to recover 700,000 pieces of information on the genome of a beetle. And that’s just the beginning. Tomorrow, the devices will make it possible to analyze entire populations of individuals at once.
An essential scaling up: “On our farms, we will need millions of insects to meet demand”, explains Thomas Lefebvre. Ÿnsect is already building its third production unit in Poulainville, in the metropolis of Amiens. It is, according to the company, the largest vertical farm in the world. The company also operates a site in the Netherlands, and another in the United States. By 2025, it plans to produce 1,500 tons of insect powder every month. The investment may seem disproportionate, because, for the time being, demand is lacking, particularly in France. But in the Netherlands, Germany or the United States, the market is progressing more. “We have already pre-sold 200 million euros in contracts,” says Guillaume Daoulas, commercial director of Ÿnsect. In the corridors of the company, a poster clearly indicates the goal to be achieved: 1.5 billion euros in turnover by 2030.
To succeed in this ambitious bet, the human food market will not be enough. “Today, Ÿnsect generates 80% of its turnover in animal nutrition, 15% in plants (insect droppings are very good fertilizers) and barely 5% in human food. But in the future, these three markets could each represent a third of our income”, explains Guillaume Daoulas. The sales specialist masters his argument: the insect protein rivals that of milk. It is even more digestible. Compared to beef or soy protein, insect powder consumes 40 times less water. It also has no taste and mixes easily with other ingredients. It can be integrated – up to 30% – into a product without disturbing the flavor…
“Surveys carried out in several European countries (including France) among athletes are giving encouraging results. Many say they are ready to try insect-based energy bars, and those who take the plunge are likely to want to start again. It’s a gateway to then expand the market”, hopes Guillaume Daoulas. Because the famous powder can also be used to make pasta, steak, tacos, tortillas or bread. Behind the scenes, the company is studying the market for the elderly, who could benefit from more digestible protein foods. Finally, Ÿnsect carries out tests on an edible oil, encouraged by increasingly favorable regulations. In recent months, Europe has authorized the sale of mealworm-based products for human consumption. Some countries, like Belgium, already authorize six species of insects for consumption.
“There are still a few points to watch out for,” tempers Christina Nielsen-Leroux. First, research must continue to progress. “Depending on the substrate that we use to raise the larvae, we do not necessarily have the necessary perspective on the presence of pathogens or pollutants. This is why only foods of plant origin are allowed for certain breedings. “, says the scientist.
Next, insect proteins should not lead us to produce overly processed foods. It would be counterproductive. Finally, time will tell what is the ideal size of farms. While some, like that of Ÿnsect, are intended to supply proteins in large quantities, others rely on much smaller markets and short circuit supply. “It’s still difficult to assess, but the development of insect proteins should still allow us to gain in efficiency, since they require little space and less water than conventional breeding”, notes Christina Nielsen- Red. Less use of agricultural land would also leave room for planting more plant protein. The French may well pout, insects will eventually become part of their diet.
