CORNET AiF 154 EN Application of edible insects in western food products (EntomoFood) (CORNET) Coordination: Forschungskreis der Ernährungsindustrie e. V. (FEI), Bonn (Research Association of the German Food Industry) National Agencies: • AiF - German Federation of Industrial Research Associations, Germany • IWT - Institute for the promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology, Flanders/Belgium Research Associations: • KU Leuven R&D, Leuven/Belgium • Flanders‘ Food, Brussels/Belgium Research Institutes: • DIL – German Institute of Food Technologies, Quakenbrueck Dr. Volker Heinz/Dr. Sergiy Smetana • Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Research Group Lab4Food, Geel/Belgium Paul van Dun/Leen van Campenhout • TMK Thomas More Kempen, Research Group CeBud, Geel/Belgium Machteld Verbruggen/Hilde Boeckx • Katholieke Hogeschool VIVES Zuid vzw, Roeselare/Belgium Joris Hindryckx/An Callens Industrial Branch: Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Duration: 2016 - 2018 Volume: € 673.710,-- (total) Initial Situation: yet their application in western diets is limited due to the number of established cultural atti- Insects are foreseen as a potential more effi- tudes. cient and more sustainable source of biomass for food and feed purposes. The need in re- Insects could serve as a source of essential search of processing potential of their applica- amino acids (proteins up to 80 % of dry mat- tion for food products is triggered with the ter) and fatty acids (fat fraction are up to 70 % lack of protein sources in EU and around the of dry matter), chitin applicable for bio-based world. plastic production and bioactive compounds. 60-80 % of western populations indicated that The future protein supply from conventional they would be willing to consume insect- food sources is continuously predicted to be based products, provided they would have insufficient. Therefore, the need for the new more information on benefits and would not protein sources and their extensive technolo- be able sensually recognize insects in prod- gical research is of the great value for modern ucts. food industry. Insects are recognized as the most effective transformers of vegetable bio- The aim of the interdisciplinary research pro- mass into valuable proteins, which highlights ject ENTOMOFOOD was the development of ecological benefits of their application. They high quality intermediate insect-based pro- are known as human food for centuries and 1 CORNET AiF 154 EN ducts for food industry based on industrially concentration comparing to the reference relevant high-moisture extrusion technology products on the market (5-20 % of insect bio- which combined thermal, pressure and shear mass). It was shown that increase of insect processing effects. Two model insect species, protein concentrate content is overall decreas- legally allowed for food application, Tenebrio ing the hardness of the extrudates. However, molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus were se- optimization in temperature profile (increase lected to be tested for the structural function- to 170 °C) and reduction of water content (by ality and level of economic and environmental 5-10 %) allowed to preserve the fibrous tex- sustainability in meat substitutes applications. ture of insect-based intermediates (with up to Furthermore, insect-based matrices for textur- 40 % of dry matter content). Protein concen- ized food products should be assured for the trate powders from both species performed nutritional relevance, microbiological and similarly during HME without significant dif- chemical safety. ference in physical, chemical or microbiologi- cal parameters. Particle size reduction of in- Such approach should uncover the intermedi- sect protein concentrates with milling did not ate texturized insect matrices for industrial significantly affect the texturizing properties innovation and market penetration as meat of extrudates. Similarly, fiber additives did not substitutes. It provides innovative technologi- improve the binding properties of insect pro- cal solutions, such as energy-efficient pro- teins. cessing and reduced processing intensity, but also texturize formation for meat structure Life-cycle assessment (LCA) allowed identifi- imitation. cation of environmental impact hotspots and recommendations for more sustainable prod- The interdisciplinary approach in ENTO- uct development. It defined that high- MOFOOD integrating innovative protein moisture extrudates composed of insect- source from insect biomass with combined- biomass are more environmentally friendly effect processing technologies was intended than meat products but are not beneficial than to demonstrate a concept of insect-based in- plant-based texturized products. Furthermore, novative products on a pre-competitive basis. LCA defined the possibility to use fresh insect biomass for HME instead of protein concen- trate, which reduced the number of pro- Research Results: cessing stages eliminating defatting and dry- ENTOMOFOOD is an interdisciplinary project, ing, consequently reducing price, energy con- which relied on application of existing and sumption and environmental impact of inter- effective technologies for the production of mediates by 30 %. It made the HME based on new media suitable for innovative food deve- fresh insect biomass extrusion more en- lopment. Larvae of two model insects (meal- vironmentally and economically competitive worm, Tenebrio molitor and buffalo beetle, alternative than meat and plant-based meat Alphitobius diaperinus) were applied for substitutes on the market. Texture, chemical product processing through the use of defat- and microbial properties of intermediates ted meals and frozen whole insects. High- processed with fresh insects were not signifi- moisture extrusion (HME) of insect protein cantly different than those based on insect concentrates performed with the application powder concentrates. of a twin-screw pilot scale extruder (Model Berstorff ZE 25x33D) allowed for the testing Insect processing with high-moisture extru- and optimization of temperature, pressure sion offered solutions to industry for the ex- and water setting profile of insect biomass ploitation of insects as an alternative source processing. Optimal processing conditions of sustainable proteins for human nutrition were defined according to the requirements of and delivered innovative technological break- texture and hardness formation of meat sub- throughs for more efficient processing tech- stitutes (and chicken meat). The conditions nologies for protein-rich insect biomass. were successfully established and led to the Fresh-insect based HME was proven as an formulation of intermediates with meat-like economically and environmentally viable texture with 40 % of insect protein concen- technology for the processing and production trate content (dry matter), which is the highest of intermediate burger matrix instead of exis- ting technology of milled frozen insects. 2 CORNET AiF 154 EN In parallel, the project investigated the possi- applied for HME and intermediates with 40 % bilities for market penetration of produced insect biomass content were produced. It was insect-based food products and assured its estimated that global market of edible insects microbiological safety and sensual suitability. would reach 600 mln. Euro revenue by 2025 The results indicated that consumers are with compound annual growth of 6,9 % (Per- mostly willing to eat insect-based products sistence Market Research, 2018). but would not so far do it on a regular basis in Germany. Industries should rely on initial in- ENTOMOFOOD aim to adapt existing pro- terest of the consumers and develop the tradi- cessing technologies for the development of tion of insect product consumption. new business models by the time European market allows for insect-based products is The use of several innovative products and very actual. Multiple cases of insect products effective processing technologies in new “tolerance” or allowance is observed in many combinations underlined the interdisciplinary countries of EU including Germany. That’s approach of ENTOMOFOOD and contributed why the developed practical solutions of in- to the pre-competitive character of the entire sect biomass transformation into safe and concept for insect-based matrices utilization in sustainable intermediate industrial matrices food. (powder and texturized paste) are forcing in- novation and product development of SMEs. Application of innovating processing techno- Economic impact: logies (microwave drying and high moisture Insect market for food is developing quite extrusion) allow additional benefits creation dramatically considering introduced insect comparing to the traditional technologies as products to German and EU food market such the emerging technologies are more efficient as energy bars and snacks, burgers, pasta and and cost effective. Their application would bread, and food and feed additives. European make foods based on edible insects more market of insect-based products is rapidly competitive. progressing. A few “Novel Food” applications are being submitted by the companies (in- Publications (Choice): cluding those in User Committee of ENTO- MOFOOD) for Tenebrio molitor and 1. FEI-Schlussbericht (2018). Alphitobius diaperinus). There are a few rea- 2. Smetana, S., Pernutz, C., Toepfl, S., Heinz, sons for such a rapid market progression, V. and van Campenhout, L.: High-moisture which roots into a single strategy, which extrusion with insect and soy protein con- works for innovative