Feasibility and scalability of insect-based feed in livestock production: influencing factors and opportunities

Abstract Insects are considered promising alternative protein sources for livestock production. Their use in feed formulation for livestock production has thus attracted considerable attention in the last several years. This review article discusses the suitability of insect-based diets for livestock species and provides insights into recommended dietary proportions based on available evidence. Certain factors influence the adoption of insect-based feed in livestock rearing. These include, amongst others, economic viability, consumer acceptance, technology, regulatory clarity, as well as farmer attitudes and willingness to pay for and adopt this practice. To successfully incorporate insects into livestock nutrition and optimize their use as a valuable protein source, it is important to properly understand these factors, associated challenges, as well as opportunities for optimization. This review, therefore, also offers a summary on these influencing factors, discussing some identified concerns such as potential associated food safety risks. The use of insects can potentially introduce heavy metals, pathogens, allergens, as well as other chemical and biological hazards into food chains. This necessitates research and regulatory efforts to correctly understand and manage relevant risks. To scale the industry and ensure food safety, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders should establish robust regulatory frameworks that incentivize sustainable technologies for incorporating insects into animal feed formulations and standardize quality assurance protocols. Studies identify advantages including resource efficiency, comparatively limited land requirements, and lower greenhouse gas emissions for insect use in livestock production, compared to conventional livestock feed. While these indicate that the use of insects is comparatively more sustainable, further studies are required to understand the extent to which the use of insects can contribute to achieving sustainable food systems. More in-depth studies measuring and characterising the environmental sustainability of insect farming to enhance our understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating insects into our food systems are therefore required.