Alternative Proteins Magazine ISSUE FOCUS October 2025 45 Looking towards insect frass, a co-product of insect farming, also praised for its circularity potential, its environmental profile is unclear. The same UK government-commissioned study concluded that “further research needs to be conducted to assess both efficacy and environmental risk” due to a general paucity of data on this recently developed product. Some studies also suggest that frass from Black Soldier Fly larvae grown on food waste can hinder the growth of maize, contribute to excessive nitrite accumulation, and thus present little environmental benefits (Alattar et al., 2016; Watson et al., 2021). FOOD SAFETY IN CIRCULAR ANIMAL FARMING Intensive forms of animal farming are notoriously a leading cause of food safety problems, and there is no reason to believe that insect farming is an exception. With thousands, if not tens of thousands, of highly selected and homogenous individuals crammed in a limited space, insect farms are health liabilities. A 2019 study of insect farms in Germany and Central European countries detected parasites in 81% of examined facilities, with 35% of them infectious for animals and 30% for humans (Gałęcki and Sokoł, 2019). Channeling waste streams (particularly meat waste streams) in animal farming has led to some of the worst animal diseases in history, like the BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy). While early research suggests insects may be at lower risk of transmitting BSE-causing prions, they can still accumulate and transmit pathogenic elements from the feed they are given. Even the Black Soldier Fly, reputed for its ability to process some waste, can accumulate heavy metals present in the substrate at high level (Diener et al. 2015). Currently, nine species of insects are allowed to be farmed at EU level, and insects reared in the same farm may be destined for human, farm animal, or pet consumption. While one insect species might be able to safely process one type of food waste, another may not, and the utmost care needs to be applied to safely trace the origin and content of waste streams, and the end use of the insects that will be fed upon them. There is no one size fits all. Insects being natural vectors of pathogens, the highest level of caution needs to be taken before considering feeding them food waste, and only a careful evaluation of the safety of each waste stream for each species could prevent insect farming to replicate the animal diseases that regularly plague animal farming. DO INSECT PRODUCERS CARE ABOUT WASTE AT ALL? Using food waste would lead to several trade-offs when it comes to the consistency of insect farming end products. While a regular stream of feed-grade by-products is quite easy to channel to an insect farm, waste streams will differ in form, quality, and availability throughout the year, threatening the reliability of the insect supply chain. In addition, the ability of an insect to survive on food waste is not equivalent to its ability to deliver high-quality and cost-effective products. The nutritional quality of the substrate given will not only impact the nutritional profile of the end product, but also the life cycle of the animal. If it takes a Black Soldier Fly 10 days to reach the appropriate larva stage when fed high-quality feed, it can take 35 days if it is fed potato peel, and even longer on inconsistent waste streams. This extra time induces energy and labor costs that can offset any production gains made elsewhere. It comes as no surprise that most major producers have been careful not to embrace inconsistent waste streams, even those that are authorised at the moment. It has also been admitted by industry players that it is extremely difficult to harness waste streams due to their high variability, referring to the example of AgriProtein, the former market leader having gone bankrupt after its failed attempt to scale up using waste (Biteau et al. 2024). ECONOMICS OF USING FOOD WASTE The idea of utilising food waste comes in a context of great uncertainty regarding the viability of the insect farming industry. Plagued with high energy
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