nano features the Sustainable Food Processing group
The research of the Sustainable Food Processing group of WFSC member Prof. Alexander Mathys was featured in a recent episode the science program nano on the German station 3sat. Mathys also joined in a multifaceted discussion on the topic of insects as a food source on SRF1 show Der Club.
The 3sat science program nano featured the research group of Prof. Alexander Mathys in two segments on 28 April 2017. The first segment focused on safety of consuming insects. As bacteria and viruses can live on and inside insects, nano reports that insects approved for consumption could also have implications on human health. Prof. Mathys comments that the microflora from insects needs to be examined so that the potential for health risks is known. With this knowledge, strategies to protect consumer heath can then be created; thus, more research is needed. Even though humans have long consumed insects, technological innovation in production is lacking; more scientific knowledge is needed to enhance production.
Watch the nano segment external pageSicherheit von Insekten als Nahrung here (in German)
The second nano segment featuring Prof. Mathys highlights the sustainability of insects as a protein source. The feed is one aspect of the sustainability of insects as a food source, but Mathys adds that we must look at the entire food value chain to determine the sustainability. To do this, Mathy’s group at ETH Zurich uses Life Cycle Analysis, which uses quantities such as land, water, and feed use as well as greenhouse gas emission to quantify sustainability. More data from mass production is needed to enhance these analyses to determine the most environmentally beneficial products.
Watch the nano segment external pageNachhaltigkeit von Lebensmittelinsekten here (in German)
Read the paper in Journal of Cleaner Production entitled “external pageSustainability of insect use for feed and food: Life Cycle Assessment” by Smetana, S., et al.
As of 01 May, Swiss regulations allow three insect species to be sold as feed and food. Prof. Mathys discussed the varied aspects of eating insects with five other guests on the SRF1 panel discussion program Der Club on 24 April. The discussion touched on a variety of issues including potential problems with mass production, unclear animal protection laws, missing food traditions, cultural stigmas, and sustainability analyses. Prof. Mathys explained the importance of being able to use side and waste streams to feed insects to make them a truly more sustainable alternative to other protein sources. He also highlighted the WFSC Novel Proteins Flagship project.
Watch the entire external pageDer Club program here (in German).
The WFSC Flagship project focusing on the topic of novel uses of alternative proteins for feed and food has gotten underway with Prof. Alexander Mathys signing on as the Principal Investigator, in collaboration with nine different WFSC member groups. The first workshop to establish collaboration took place in January 2017, and efforts are now underway to secure funding to build the initiative.