Insects: The Next Frontier in Alternative Protein 

Insects: The Next Frontier in Alternative Protein 

As the InnoProtein project continues to explore and optimize alternative protein sources, efforts are now moving beyond fungal protein cultivation to another promising option: insect protein. 

InnoProtein investigated species such as black soldier flies, mealworms, and silkworms to better understand how insect rearing can be optimized for both yield and nutritional quality. This research aims to maximize both the efficiency and value of insect-derived protein biomass. 

Insects are a highly efficient and often overlooked source of high-quality protein. They grow rapidly, require significantly fewer resources than conventional livestock, and can thrive on agricultural byproducts1. These advantages make insect cultivation a strong pathway towards a more sustainable and circular food system. 

Inside Insect Rearing 

Insect farming, in the context of protein production, involves managing the living and breeding conditions in which insects are raised. This includes their diet, humidity levels, temperature, and harvest timing, as all these factors can majorly impact overall colony protein yields234.  
 
A key challenge in developing insect farming at scale is identifying feed inputs that meet the insects’ nutritional needs while remaining cost-effective and sustainably sourced. Food industry by-products, such as brewing and milling residues, are one avenue being explored, as they may offer a way to redirect organic waste back into the food production chain5. 

Putting It to the Test  

When Innoprotein began trials in 2024, the starting point was to identify which insect species and worth investing further resources into. Not all candidate species made the cut. Efforts have since focused on the two remaining species, the black soldier fly and the mealworm, where results have been more promising. 

From these trials, one major finding stands out: feed composition drives protein outcomes more than almost anything else. Certain combinations of food industry by-products consistently produced the most protein-rich biomass. Both species showed strong nutritional profiles across a broad range of amino acids, supporting their potential as genuine alternative protein sources6. The results are still preliminary but certainly encouraging. 

From Lab to Table: What Comes Next?  

By identifying which species perform best, and under what conditions, InnoProtein is helping to build more reliable and scalable production systems. 

Combined with ongoing work on protein extraction and processing, this research supports a broader goal: turning insect biomass into practical, high-quality ingredients that can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient protein supply. 

References

  1. Salam, S. (2025). Insect farming for sustainable protein production. In Emerging Trends in Agriculture Sciences: Volume 18 (pp. 121–141). Integrated Publications.  ↩︎
  2. Rashidi Ilzoleh, R., & Akmali, V. (2025). Influence of dietary composition on the nutritional profile and feed conversion efficiency of Tenebrio molitor. PloS one, 20(7), e0325262. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325262  ↩︎
  3. Dallao, F. (2024). Insect Protein as a Sustainable Protein Source: A Systematic Review of Strategies and Insights. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/6gbej  ↩︎
  4. van Huis, A., Oonincx, D.G.A.B. The environmental sustainability of insects as food and feed. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 37, 43 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-017-0452-8  ↩︎
  5. Haider, F. (2025). Brewery waste as a sustainable protein source for the banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28015205.v1 
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  6. Dallao, F. (2024). Insect Protein as a Sustainable Protein Source: A Systematic Review of Strategies and Insights. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/6gbej 
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