By Jennifer Rae Vliet
I just found a list of companies and products that are generating products from bugs for our pets, livestock, and for human consumption as well. If this person seems to put any of it in any good light, this is not The Plain Truth being in agreement, it just is to show you even who has created these start-up companies and the billion-dollar industry it is going to be for all of them. It is also to be made aware so you can avoid what you need to avoid for health and morality. Also, an announcement from Tyson Foods about their investment in this mega lucrative industry. Below these new bits of creepy crawly news is a post from the beginning of the year on The Plain Truth about what God says about eating bugs, which ones are permissible or not, and how eating bugs may not be healthy and why.
7 insect-based food startups on the rise in 2023
The short version
- Insect-based food startups are creating a new source of protein intended to help future generations remain food stable.
- Products like pet food, protein powders, granola, and chocolate all have insect-based options through a variety of startups and large-scale companies.
- Insect-based farming still has some downsides. And, as the technology evolves, it still has the potential to turn into a factory farming situation.
What is insect-based food?
With an ever-increasing population and the rising emissions related to protein production, more and more experts have been sounding the alarm that the way we consume food isn’t sustainable.
The damage of meat production alone to the environment doesn’t just include the methane emitted by the animals themselves but also the land and water needed to produce feed for livestock and grazing areas — resulting in rapid deforestation.
This market is currently expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Huge multinational corporations Cargill and McDonalds have both started feeding their livestock and chickens with insect-based feed.
By 2030, the global edible insect market is predicted to reach $9.6 billion.
Insect-farming, in comparison, requires much less water and land and produces far fewer emissions than their mammalian counterparts. Insects as a protein can also supply the same or more nutritional value.
You’ll find edible insects such as mealworms, crickets, black soldier flies, and beetles, all over the world, in many cultures which have long embraced the nutritional value inherent in insects. However, insect-based food has been slow to catch on in the western world. That said, you can find a variety of different forms of insect-based products in the U.S. and globally.
A few of these include insect-based:
- Pet and livestock food
- Protein powders
- Protein bars
- Whole insects
- Chocolate
- Flour
Insect-based startups may create these products themselves, often sourcing insects from reputable sources around the world. Or they may manufacture the automated technology required to make these products.
This market is currently expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Huge multinational corporations Cargill and McDonalds have both started feeding their livestock and chickens with insect-based feed. Europe’s insect protein production is expected to balloon to 1.2 million tonnes by 2025. And by 2030, the global edible insect market is predicted to reach $9.6 billion.
MORE: What’s the difference between ethical and sustainable investing?
7 best insect-based food startups to check out
| Startup | Product | Country/State Of Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ÿnsect | Fish, pet, poultry, and pig feed, as well as insect-based protein powder for humans | Paris, France |
| All Things Bugs | Griopro® Cricket Powder | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Mighty Cricket | Oatmeal, chocolate, and protein powder made from crickets | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Grubbly Farms | Pet food made from grubs | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Hey Planet | Protein bars, chocolates, and beetle-based meats | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Wilder Harrier | Dog food made from black soldier flies | Montreal, Canada |
| Beta Hatch | Pet food and soil made from mealworms | Seattle, Washington |
Ÿnsect
Perhaps one of the best-known companies in the insect-ingredients industry is Ÿnsect. Ÿnsect creates innovations that help them produce animal, human, and plant food made out of mealworm beetles. They’re a France-based company started in 2011 by four co-founders who are scientists, mathematicians, lawyers, and environmentalists.
While predominantly based in Europe, Ÿnsect also operates one of the largest mealworm facilities in Nebraska. While they’re working on expanding their reach, especially in the U.S., the company has raised a $425 million from investment funds, banks, and other public institutions.
and also from recent news:
Tyson Foods announces investment with insect ingredients company
At this point, Tyson has no plans to use insect protein in human food
READ MORE HERE ON TYSONS ENDEAVORS>>>>>
Forward by Jennifer Rae Vliet from January 2023
God is very specific about what we are to eat and His clean eating guidelines do in fact include some insects…
“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you. There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean. ~ Leviticus 11:21-23
Even John the Baptist, when he preached in the wilderness of Judea, enjoyed some creepy crawlies as we read in Matthew 3:4:
“ John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. “
But would you trust the global scientists and lab chefs to pay any mind to what God says? A scary proposition, no doubt.
Here is an interesting read on the latest insect science projects, I mean, products, the concerns, and a video on the foul processes they are practicing in hopes to get us all to love a belly full of bugs. The video describes how bugs contains a substance that cannot be removed from the cells of a bug called ‘chitins’ that humans cannot process and that cause respiratory issues and even spinal cancer.
Eating Bugs Is NOT Healthy!
by Leslie Soule ~ YourNews.com
Recently, groups such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) have made a push for humans to begin eating bugs regularly, in the name of sustainability. But numerous preppers and homesteaders have spoken out, writing articles and creating videos talking about the dangers of eating bugs. It is becoming increasingly clear that eating bugs is simply unhealthy and potentially dangerous.
An article in Farmer’s Weekly also explains the dangers of eating bugs.
Farmer’s Weekly is reporting that, “The farming and processing of edible insects for human and animal consumption appears to be gaining in popularity. However, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there are risks to eating insects that have not been farmed with the correct biosecurity measures in place, and these risks are potentially dangerous to human and animal health.”
Thus, it is becoming increasingly clear that this agenda has nothing to do with sustainability and is actually about degrading the human spirit.
Farmer’s Weekly goes on to state that, “Historically, many cultures in different parts of the world have made insects a part of their diets. According to recent estimates, approximately 2 111 species of insects are consumed in about 140 countries, with entomophagy [the practice of eating insects] documented around the world. Research shows that 92% of known edible insect species are wild harvested, 6% are semi-domesticated, and 2% are farmed. Among the known wild-harvested edible insect species, 88% are terrestrial, while the rest are collected from aquatic ecosystems. With the global population expected to reach 9,7 billion by 2050, concerns are growing over whether the planet’s finite resources such as agricultural land can meet the food needs of so many people. Such food-security concerns are propelling exploration into alternative food sources for humans and animals that are nutritionally sound and can be obtained sustainably.
An alternative food and feed source ~ Insects are fast emerging as a viable food and feed group, with mass production gaining popularity globally. This can be attributed to the significant nutritional value of insects, as well as the environmental benefits and improvement in livelihoods associated with insect farming. However, insects might carry biological and chemical contaminants as well as physical hazards that can be detrimental to the health of consumers. These food safety hazards are associated with direct or indirect (via animal feed) consumption of insects. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the health risks associated with using insects as food for humans and as animal feed depend on the insect species and their substrate, as well as on how the insects are reared, harvested and processed. It should be pointed out, however, that the food safety hazards described below apply to numerous foods and not only to insects. Unlike other livestock, insects are consumed in their entirety, which necessitates paying close attention to how they are farmed and processed. Insects can accumulate contaminants from their feed or housing materials. Due to their small size, it can be difficult to decontaminate harvested insects, and any eventual contamination may be carried along the production and processing chain.