<p>Currently, the problem lies in the genetic selection to make insects suitable for mass processing. </p>

<p>Let's compare this to chicken farming</p>

<ol>
<li>Human society already select chicken that will grow lots of meat for many years</li>
<li>There are machinery available to "process" the chicken</li>
<li>There are existing demands and supply chain.</li>
<li>Currently chicken is cheap</li>
</ol>

<p>In industrial scale, it is all about ease of processing.  Currently, insects like crickets is not a good competing candidate. However, it is just a matter of time for the food scientist to discover a suitable insect.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T09:48:29.270Z
nevertheless at least regarding demand there is enough and they start building machinery, compare: https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2018/07/26/Insect-tech-Start-up-producing-3.5-tonnes-of-cricket-flour-per-month-in-Chiang-Mai
J. Doe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T09:50:49.317Z
@J.Doe : The price is not viable as staples replacement.
mootmoot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T09:55:53.157Z
why? i.e. sure you pay anything to survive, but then, is this a bet on all other staples prices growing considerably next years? likewise, doubled or quadrupled meat price?
J. Doe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T10:03:43.070Z
@J.Doe Perhaps maggot is a more viable solutions, or some undiscovered insects. Unfortunately since international conglomerate destroyed forests for farming, it will also destroy the biological source for selection. There is always a jokes that some super food source(high protein, high oil extraction,etc ) already lies in the jungle but human may already destroy it ;-)
mootmoot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T10:48:00.787Z
well just make sure you've read Tuf Voyaging.
J. Doe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T09:46:41.353Z
2018-08-24T09:46:41.353Z
mootmoot
<p>Currently, about 2bn people consume insects, so there must be a scaled industry already as well.</p>

<p>Then, you can buy cricket powder at roughly $100/kg.</p>

<p>Now my concern is:</p>

<ul>
<li>if this is already a common nutrition source, why the price? (could not imagine, those 2bn people pay that)</li>
<li>nevertheless insect farming wherever it takes involves lot of manual labour</li>
</ul>

<p>In my understanding, a future source of food should match the following criteria:</p>

<ul>
<li>sustainable (OK)</li>
<li>cheap (not clear)</li>
<li>scalable through automation (I think this is currently very limited)</li>
</ul>

<p>Compared to a <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/technology/lab-grown-meat-startup-raises-funding-to-bring-product-to-market/article/527295" rel="nofollow noreferrer">meat brewery</a>, if they will mature, seems easier to scale, even if entrypoint is harder.</p>

<p>So why is the price currently so high and how exactly are these insects will become the future of food (media excitement put aside) - is a realistic criteria market turnover?</p>

<innovation>
Insect farming as future of protein nutrition: reality check
J. Doe
# Insect farming as future of protein nutrition: reality check

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-24)

Currently, about 2bn people consume insects, so there must be a scaled industry already as well.

Then, you can buy cricket powder at roughly $100/kg.

Now my concern is:

* if this is already a common nutrition source, why the price? (could not imagine, those 2bn people pay that)
* nevertheless insect farming wherever it takes involves lot of manual labour

In my understanding, a future source of food should match the following criteria:

* sustainable (OK)
* cheap (not clear)
* scalable through automation (I think this is currently very limited)

Compared to a [meat brewery](http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/technology/lab-grown-meat-startup-raises-funding-to-bring-product-to-market/article/527295), if they will mature, seems easier to scale, even if entrypoint is harder.

So why is the price currently so high and how exactly are these insects will become the future of food (media excitement put aside) - is a realistic criteria market turnover?

**Tags:** innovation


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-08-24. Score: 1

Currently, the problem lies in the genetic selection to make insects suitable for mass processing.

Let's compare this to chicken farming

1. Human society already select chicken that will grow lots of meat for many years
2. There are machinery available to "process" the chicken
3. There are existing demands and supply chain.
4. Currently chicken is cheap

In industrial scale, it is all about ease of processing. Currently, insects like crickets is not a good competing candidate. However, it is just a matter of time for the food scientist to discover a suitable insect.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: nevertheless at least regarding demand there is enough and they start building machinery, compare: https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2018/07/26/Insect-tech-Start-up-producing-3.5-tonnes-of-cricket-flour-per-month-in-Chiang-Mai  
> **username_1**: @username_0 : The price is not viable as staples replacement.  
> **username_0**: why? i.e. sure you pay anything to survive, but then, is this a bet on all other staples prices growing considerably next years? likewise, doubled or quadrupled meat price?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Perhaps maggot is a more viable solutions, or some undiscovered insects. Unfortunately since international conglomerate destroyed forests for farming, it will also destroy the biological source for selection. There is always a jokes that some super food source(high protein, high oil extraction,etc ) already lies in the jungle but human may already destroy it ;-)  
> **username_0**: well just make sure you've read Tuf Voyaging.  

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