Project
SUSINCHAIN: improving insect rearing for food and feed
The European research project SUSINCHAIN contributes to a new protein supply for feed and food in Europe by overcoming the remaining barriers to increasing the economic viability of the insect value chain and opening markets by joining forces in a comprehensive multi-actor consortium. The 48-month project is being carried out in collaboration with 18 industrial and 17 academic partners.
The overall objective of SUSINCHAIN is to test and demonstrate recently developed innovations (techniques, products and processes) in order to achieve a fully-fledged commercialized European insect chain. SUSINCHAIN focuses on developing business models, exploring market opportunities, optimizing insect breeding, transport, processing technologies and the application of insects in animal feed and as an ingredient in daily food. Safety, sustainability, consumer acceptance and the economy are explicitly taken into account.
Source of alternative proteins
Over the next four years, the project will contribute to removing the main barriers to an increase in the use of insects as an alternative protein source for animal feed and food. This reduces the dependence on protein raw materials for (human) food and animal feed from outside Europe.
The ambition of SUSINCHAIN is to deliver knowledge and innovations that contribute to replacing at least 20% of European consumption of animal protein with insect protein and a thousand-fold increase in both production volumes and jobs in the period up to 2025 in the insect chain.