New knowledge centre for edible insect rearing

Insectpoint is based in the BioScience Centre in the Dutch city Lelystad, a location of Wageningen UR. By opening this centre Wageningen UR hopes – together with businesses and fellow knowledge organisations – to share its fundamental knowledge about rearing and eating of insects with other stakeholders for application in commercial practice.

Prof. Arnold van Huis, the Wageningen expert in the domain of edible insects, was present at the opening and addressed the chances insects are offering us. “Worldwide, some 1900 insect species are eaten. Where the eating of insects is quite common in other parts of the world, the amount of insects consumed in Europe is still low. This is a missed opportunity because insects present a sustainable form of proteins in comparison with the proteins currently often originating from meat. Another advantage is that they can be fed with the residual flow of plant material.”

After some presentations about the potentials of edible insects, Jan Nico Appelman from the Province and Tijs Breukink from Wageningen UR officially opened Insectpoint by eating crickets dipped in a chocolate fountain. After the opening, the visitors took a look at the insect rearing facilities of one of the partners of the centre and insect snacks were tasted.

Next to Wageningen UR, other initiators of Insectpoint are Ger van der Wal, owner of Delibugs, Insect Europe, World Ento and Energy & Exploitation unit Lelystad. The centre is welcoming new partners.