New research project investigates protein processing from insects for sustainable food production.
Insects as a sustainable source of protein: ProtinA research project revolutionizes the way to the future of nutrition.
In view of the growing world population, environmental problems and limited resources, research and industry are looking for new, sustainable ways to produce food. One promising approach is the use of alternative protein sources such as insects.
The “ProtinA” project (full title: Nutrition-optimized development of alternative protein sources through innovative and sustainable processing technologies using the example of crickets Acheta domesticus) is a collaboration between the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB Potsdam), the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam and three industrial companies, including membraPure GmbH.
The project, which also includes a doctoral thesis, is investigating how alternative protein sources – using crickets as an example – can be prepared and processed. The aim is to test various technologies and find out how they affect the nutritional quality of the food produced from them. The selected application scenarios should serve both as scientific models and be relevant for practical applications.
A particular focus is on controlling the processing procedure as precisely as possible. To this end, we are investigating how certain processing steps change the protein structure and properties. Special optical measuring methods will be used to visualize and monitor this influence.
“The amino acid composition also plays an important role here, and a protocol is to be developed for its sample preparation and standardizable quantification”, explains Dr Alexander Angersbach, employee and project manager at membraPure GmbH.
The processing parameters developed in the project are to be adapted in such a way that they maintain the availability of the nutrients for the body – i.e. the so-called bioavailability – in the best possible way. The project is investigating how processing affects digestion in the laboratory (in-vitro) and in the body (in-vivo). The aim is to gain a better understanding of the precise relationships between the processing procedure and the quality of the end product.
The targeted control of individual processing steps can also prevent the products from having to be treated unnecessarily. This not only preserves the quality of the food, but also contributes to sustainability, as fewer resources are wasted.
“The starting point of the research work is the alternative animal raw material and then leads through the individual processing steps to the nutritional effect of the food product under investigation”, adds Dr.-Ing. habil. Oliver Schlüter, spokesperson for the ATB Healthy Foods program area. “Initially, the focus will be on the production of liquid protein-rich food systems in order to then investigate dry protein-rich food matrices.”
The project managers are convinced that the knowledge gained in the project can also be transferred to other alternative protein sources and product types in the future. In the long term, the technologies and standards developed could help to bring new, protein-rich products onto the market that are both healthy and sustainable – and at the same time find acceptance among consumers.
This project is being carried out as part of the innovation funding program (funding code: 281A809B21) of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) with the kind support of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).