Overview
With the rapid population growth, the demand for protein-rich feed is rising in response to the increasing nutritional requirements, causing a significant threat to global food security. As a conventional source of protein, livestock farming faces challenges in meeting demands while contributing to environmental damage. A study conducted by the Dutch Rabobank predicts that by 2030, the world’s need for insect protein will increase from 10,000 tons to 500,000 tons. As a result, insect meal has recently gained attention as a sustainable substitute for traditional animal proteins in pet food, aquaculture, and human consumption.
To effectively address the global food crisis and its environmental impact, insect farming is essential. Insects like black soldier flies, mealworms, and crickets are bred on organic waste or agricultural by-products that help to reduce waste, thereby contributing to a circular economy. Moreover, their breeding requires less water, feed, and land while emitting fewer greenhouse gases than livestock farming. Nevertheless, insect farming faces challenges concerning transparency and traceability in the supply chain. In as much as large companies in Western countries produce insect protein, small-scale insect breeding facilities also exist in developing countries. However, the lack of transparency in breeding practices in these facilities is a significant barrier to obtaining insect-based products such as protein flour.
The InsectPassport project aims to transform the insect industry by enhancing transparency in the food supply chain and developing a digital product passport to facilitate the acceptance of insect-derived protein from developing countries. This concept promotes sustainability and profitability in equal measure for the end customers. The digital passport for insect protein meal is an innovation that will ensure compliance with European regulations on insect-meal production, increase acceptance of insect meals from developing countries, and make them more affordable than conventional animal products. Additionally, embracing the digitalization of the insect supply chain can efficiently improve traceability, sustainability, scalability, and compliance monitoring while optimizing production processes, improving consumer transparency, and enabling data-driven decision-making. As regulatory frameworks continue to develop, the insect industry is emerging as a vital part of future sustainable food systems.