Food production is the biggest contributor to climate change, accounting for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the rising population and wealth, especially in the Global South, are fueling surging demand for animal protein. With food demand set to climb from 30 to 60% by 2050, current livestock systems, already stretched beyond sustainable limits in many EU countries, cannot cope. Intensifying them would further deplete water resources, pollute the soil and air, and accelerate climate change. Meeting the world’s future food needs means producing more without costing the planet.
Insect farming tackles these challenges by either replacing conventional livestock or providing protein-rich feed. While over 2,000 edible insect species are known worldwide, scalable rearing systems exist for a limited set of species.
The FAO highlights edible insects as a promising solution to some of the 21st century’s biggest food challenges. With population growth, rising protein demand, environmental pressures, and the increasing cost of animal protein, traditional livestock alone may no longer meet global needs. Insects offer a sustainable alternative, benefiting the environment while supporting nutrition and livelihoods. Although insect-based foods currently remain a niche market in the EU, they are gaining strategic importance, with Horizon Europe identifying insect proteins as a key research area.
Why does insect production matter?
Our food system is under pressure. Food production already accounts for 20–40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Insects are part of the answer. Many insect species can convert low-value waste streams, food wastes and agricultural by-products into high-quality protein and fat. They need less land, less water and produce far fewer emissions than conventional livestock.
For Human consumption:
- Full protein source: Crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers contain all essential amino acids.
- Healthy fats: Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids.
- Micronutrients: Rich in iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B12 and riboflavin.
For the planet:
- Lower emissions: Insects produce a fraction of the methane and CO₂ of cattle or pigs
- Waste valorisation: Turn food waste and agricultural by-products into high-quality protein
- Circular economy: Insects close the nutrient loop, nothing goes to waste!
The missing piece: insect nutrition science
The challenge lies in the fact that while insect farming is booming, we still know surprisingly little about what insects need to eat to thrive, convert waste efficiently, and produce the best quality protein. Feed is the main burden of insect farming production costs and the environmental footprint. Optimised insect diets will reduce costs and emissions while at the same time increasing the final yields.
Research on insect nutrition has grown exponentially over the last 15 years, but the knowledge remains fragmented, inconsistent, and incomplete. Hundreds of studies exist, but findings are scattered across species and labs. Studies focus on a single species, use incompatible methods, and rarely talk to one another. Without shared protocols, results from different labs cannot be compared. In addition, there are still the missing fundamentals: a lack of basic data on amino acid requirements, vitamin needs, and digestive physiology for most commercial insect species.
The green light of the EU for insects as food and feed
In 2017, the European Commission authorised the use of specific insect species as fish feed. This was followed in 2021 by a further authorisation extending the use of selected insect species as poultry and pig feed. The same year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) completed its first comprehensive safety evaluation of insect-based food.
A step forward with GIN-TONIC COST Action
As interest in insect farming is growing rapidly, an important factor related to the economic feasibility and sustainability of mass-rearing insects is what they eat. The benefits of proper insect nutrition are broad and impact ecosystems, agriculture, human uses, and research.
Established in 2024, Group on Insect Nutrition: To Open Nutritional Innovative Challenges (GIN-TONIC) is a research network that aims to foster connections, facilitate knowledge sharing, and inspire forthcoming research collaborations within the edible insect farming industry. GIN-TONIC COST Action aims to revolutionise global nutrition by making insect farming smarter, greener, and entirely circular. To achieve this, the network breaks down barriers between disciplines and species, bringing together experts in entomology, livestock nutrition, agricultural science, environmental engineering, microbiology, and zoology. By connecting science with industry, it will foster collaborations to find synergies and reach shared goals.
“GIN-TONIC is about bringing together people interested in the nutrition of insects to be used as food and feed. The actors within this COST Action collect and refine the available knowledge on the nutritional needs of insects and identify knowledge gaps to form a research agenda.” Dr Dennis Oonincx, Chair of GIN-TONIC
Dr Sara Bellezza Oddon, the Action Vice-Chair, adds: “GIN-TONIC aims to build on the experience gained in conventional livestock systems, while adopting a more innovative approach tailored to insect production. Nutritional requirements represent a key factor in improving production efficiency, making their study essential. Through this COST Action, we aim to establish the necessary steps and collaborations to accelerate progress toward this goal.”
Multiple strategies must come together to achieve these goals. Mapping ongoing activities will create a common foundation for understanding insect nutrition. At the same time, deeper insights into digestive systems, physiology, and feeding behaviour are essential to advance research and translate knowledge into more efficient insect rearing. Pinpointing the factors that shape these complex nutritional requirements will be a critical step forward.
“Science only creates impact when it is shared. As communication coordinator, I am proud to be part of and share the hard work of an exceptional network of scientists and industry partners who are currently reshaping how we think about circularity and sustainability in the agri-food sector. My role, and yours as a reader, is to carry that knowledge into everyday conversations that shape our food, our policies and our future,’’ concludes Ms Christina Adamaki-Sotiraki, the Science Communication Coordinator.
Additional information
View the Action website
View the Network website: https://www.group-on-insect-nutrition.eu/
Read GIN-TONIC’s first newsletter here
Follow GIN-TONIC on social media via LinkedIn and YouTube: GIN TONIC Group on Insect Nutrition