Ÿnsect has been making meals from mealworms since 2011.
Now, the France-based insect company is diving deep into the bug’s gene pool. The company’s experts are using a “genotyping chip” that will allow them to breed better worms more efficiently, according to an innovation report from Pet Food Processing.
Since Ÿnsect’s mission is to provide a more sustainable source of protein for humans and animals, as well as fertilizer for crops, the technology could be a game-changer for our food system.
“Ÿnsect’s ambition is to contribute to the development of a new economic, social, and sustainable model, proposing new ways of consumption and production, to meet the main environmental and climatic challenges of our time,” said CEO Antoine Hubert.
Bug growers consider mealworms to be a nutritious and greater source of protein on the planet than beef. Bugs contain essential amino acids, vitamins, and nutrients. Furthermore, Ÿnsect experts report that benefits include better cholesterol and digestive health.
It also makes an excellent pet food as well as a healthy soil additive to help crops grow, according to the company’s website.
The chip, called Axiom, will help growers better identify lines of larvae through gene selection to grow more protein-rich bugs.
“For 12 years we have been innovating, with the aim of advancing the food industry and democratizing the insect. Our genotyping chip … is a world first for our industry and will contribute to the sustainable structuring of the entomoculture sector ,” said Hubert.
The chip was created with the help of Thermo Fisher Scientific. This will allow researchers to prevent inbreeding, in part by analyzing genetic material from more than 4,000 bugs. Growth performance, reproduction, feed conversion, and disease resistance are all factors. This is a comprehensive look at the inner workings of mealworm DNA designed to increase production by 15%, all according to the Pet Food Processing story.
“This development is a real step forward,” said Pierre Garrabos, senior key account manager of France’s AgriBusiness West at Thermo Fisher.
The reason for the job is partly driven by our growing population.
There are expected to be 10 billion people in the world by 2050, according to the United Nations, straining our food system. A single cow produces up to 264 pounds of dangerous, planet-warming methane each year. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that there are 1.5 billion head of cattle raised for food worldwide each year.
Plant-based diets and meat alternatives are some options to lighten the burden of meat.
With Ÿnsect, experts are sure to fill the void with mealworms, which help make delicious and nutritious food. Photos on the company’s website show burgers and shakes, which may be made with bug protein.
If realized, the benefits are clear: The ingredients use 40 times less land and emit 40 times less air pollution than beef and use 30 times less water than pork.
“Represents a protein that’s better for us and our planet,” says the Ÿnsect website.
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