Are you weighing alternative proteins for animal feed? Insects, algae and single-cell proteins are promising substitutes for soy and fishmeal, but the sources say cost and scale are the hurdles.
This guide belongs to the site’s wider coverage of sustainable manufacturing.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Soya beans imported by the EU for livestock feed | About 14 million tonnes a year |
| Protein share of dry mass (insects, microalgae, single-cell protein) | 50 to 65% |
| Land needed to rear edible insects versus conventional livestock | 50% to 90% less |
| Greenhouse gas emissions of edible insects | About 100 times less |
| Livestock share of agricultural land | About 70% |
| EU feed rule for insects (as of 12 May 2020) | Permitted in aquaculture, not for livestock |
The figures come from Horizon Magazine, published by the European Commission on 12 May 2020. They can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
Why does animal feed need new protein sources?
The protein gap starts with demand. According to Horizon Magazine, the global population is expected to grow by 2 billion people in the next 30 years, while meat production is likely to double over the same period.
Livestock already carries a heavy footprint. It takes up about 70% of the land used for agriculture and emits up to 18% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the same article says.
Feed is where Europe is exposed. The EU imports about 14 million tonnes of soya beans every year to feed pigs, cattle and chicken, which makes the region reliant on imports and adds the carbon footprint of transporting the crop.
What are insect, algae and single-cell proteins?
These are three different routes to the same goal: protein that does not depend on imported soy or fish. Each one uses a different raw material and a different production system.
- Insects: researchers describe black soldier flies as a promising protein for animals that can be produced locally.
- Microalgae: typically expensive to produce, though one Icelandic project pairs production with a geothermal power plant to cut costs.
- Single-cell proteins: made by microbes feeding on sugars from woody biomass, such as branches and roots left over from forestry.
Their nutrition is similar in one respect. All of them have a protein content of 50 to 65% of dry mass, but they differ in fat: insects are high in fat, while single-cell protein is almost fat-free.
That difference matters for formulation. A feed maker that needs a lean ingredient and one that needs an energy-rich ingredient would not choose the same protein.
Insects: land, emissions and cost
The environmental case is strong on paper. Edible insects can be reared using 50% to 90% less land than conventional livestock and produce about 100 times less greenhouse gas emissions, according to Horizon Magazine.
Insects can also be fed organic waste, meaning discarded food that often ends up in landfill. That is the appeal of turning a waste problem into a feed ingredient.
The weak point is price. Insects are already reared in small quantities, but they remain a more expensive protein source than soybean meal and fish meal, the two ingredients that typically feature in animal feed.
Researchers at Wageningen Livestock Research argue that scale is the fix: “By scaling up, we can reduce the cost price.” The same source notes that technical issues currently stop insects being reared in large enough quantities.
Safety and EU rules for insect feed
On safety, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave a reassuring view in 2015. As Farmers Weekly reported on 30 October 2015, the risks of insect meal from insects fed on currently-permitted raw materials were no higher than those of other animal protein sources.
That finding came with limits. Risks depend on the production method, what the insects were fed and when they were harvested, and EFSA said forbidden substrates such as food waste and manures needed further evaluation.
The rules are shaped by history. The same report notes that EU regulations forbid feeding processed animal protein to farm animals because of the BSE crisis, so insects can only be fed material that is already safe for other animals.
Even so, the same report says safety and quality data still need work. It quotes Dr Adrian Charlton, a member of the EFSA scientific panel: “This opinion is a positive development. But as Efsa highlights, there is still work to be done to ensure robust safety and quality data is available for insect protein.”
From pilot trials to the feed mill
Two European projects described in the 2020 article show how the work is being done. NextGenProteins is studying insects, microalgae and single-cell proteins, with initial small-scale tests on salmon and sea bass to find the maximum amount of each protein that feed can contain.
The SUSINCHAIN project focuses on insects, with tests on fish, chicken and piglets. Its researchers plan to measure feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio, and to investigate drying techniques such as microwave or low energy electron beam systems.
Single-cell protein is a good example of how biology becomes an industrial input, and the site’s industrial biotechnology examples show other cases of microbes doing similar work. Readers following how biomass feeds other sectors may also want to read about bio-based packaging materials.
For anyone assessing these options, the practical checklist is short:
- Check the legal status of the ingredient for the animal species concerned.
- Compare its price against soybean meal and fish meal.
- Match its fat and protein profile to the diet.
- Look for trial data on growth, intake and feed conversion.
Frequently asked questions
Can insects be fed to livestock in the EU?
Show answer
As of Horizon Magazine’s 12 May 2020 article, EU legislation permitted insects as feed in aquaculture but not for livestock, and exemptions for poultry and pigs were expected. Check current EU rules before relying on that.
Are insects a riskier feed than other proteins?
Show answer
Not according to EFSA’s 2015 assessment reported by Farmers Weekly, provided the insects are fed on currently-permitted raw materials. The risks depend on production method, substrate and harvest stage.
Why aren’t alternative proteins already everywhere?
Show answer
Cost and scale. Insects are more expensive than soybean meal and fish meal, and microalgae are typically expensive to produce.
Which alternative protein is lowest in fat?
Show answer
Single-cell protein is almost fat-free, while insects are high in fat. All of them have a protein content of 50 to 65% of dry mass, per the Horizon Magazine article.
