Sponsored by PROTIX
Meeting the 2030 EU Green Deal and supporting EU Taxonomy targets is challenging but crucial in terms of preserving the planet’s natural resources. One thing is clear: there is no single solution to tackling the issues. As the culmination of many years of research, insect ingredients have emerged as one of the viable solutions. Now is the time to start with insect ingredients and reap the benefits in terms of a lower footprint and excellent performance at a good price-quality ratio.
Flies full of promise
As the insect industry advances on multiple fronts, insects are becoming an increasingly viable and compelling alternative. In particular, the larvae of the black soldier fly have been scientifically proven to be a safe and compatible option packed with health benefits – some of which are yet to be unlocked.
Consistent supply
To be truly viable, an ingredient must not only be safe, compatible and offer nutritional and sustainability benefits, but must also be readily available in the same high quality. Companies such as Protix have made significant investments to ensure this consistency resulting in a stable commercial supply from its state-of-the-art facility in Bergen op Zoom.
Commercial scale
As interesting as any ingredient may be in terms of its low environmental impact and (current and future) health benefits, the industry has to face commercial realities and be able to provide ingredients at scale. Thanks to investments in state-of-the-art facilities in the Netherlands, joint venture activities, and European Investment Bank support to expand internationally, Protix is well positioned to produce at a larger industrial scale.
Protix facility. Credits: Protix
Making insects fly
Having made significant strides in establishing reliable industrial-scale production and building a body of supporting scientific evidence, insect ingredients for aquafeed are ready for the next stage which includes translating costs into value across the value chain. The question of cost and scale cannot be tackled overnight. It requires longer-term collaboration. By working together to integrate insect ingredients into the best suited applications, unlocking the value of insect ingredients in terms of fish health, increasing yield, better quality and consumer benefits, and jointly growing business, we can achieve a scenario where the insect industry meets the aquaculture sector's demand for a low-footprint ingredient that is commercially attractive. It needs retailers to look at how to meet demand, and forward-thinking feed manufacturers and farmers to apply volumes into the best-suited feeds. This is already beginning to happen.
Sustainability and performance value
Leading Dutch retailer Albert Heijn, for example, is first on board. The supermarket now stocks shrimp with a reduced footprint. This is the result of replacing part of their fishmeal with ProteinX® insect protein from Protix. Involving industry leaders Veramaris, Klaas Puul and Skretting, the initiative is in line with Albert Heijn’s vision of a 50% reduction in the ecological footprint of fresh and long-life product chains by 2030.
Grow the business together
At the same time, Protix works closely with feed manufacturers and innovative farmers to incorporate insects into aquafeed formulations. For example, Protix works with Oceanloop Group to produce sustainable feed for land-based shrimp with outstanding palatability and performance in a local and circular production process. Recently, a salmon study with Aller Aqua, Austevoll Melaks AS and Protix’s insect protein revealed that the black soldier fly outperforms traditional raw materials. It’s nutritious and palatable for salmon, easy to formulate, and there’s a positive effect on fillet quality and taste. To expand the industry as a whole, companies need to build on these success stories.
Studied success
While the black soldier fly is a small insect, it has a mighty power to transform the aquafeed industry. An industry saying is "fishmeal is not fishmeal", referring to the importance of ingredient processing and resulting quality. It’s important to note that not all insect ingredients deliver the same results. Protix employs a unique production process, inspired by high-quality fishmeal production, that ensures unparalleled ingredient quality. Consequently, the impressive study results achieved with these ingredients cannot be one-on-one translated for other insect ingredients.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that there is a healthy appetite to create a more sustainable aquafeed industry. Insect ingredients offer one part of the puzzle of solutions. To take the industry to the next level of sustainability, further collaboration is needed between retailers, feed manufacturers, farmers and high-quality reliable producers such as Protix. We look forward to a bright aquafeed future together.
