How France became the unlikely home of the insect-farming industry
"Walking into Ÿnsect’s flagship manufacturing site in Dole, eastern France, the first thing that visitors are met with is a hot, earthy, composting smell. With it comes the realization that this is not a typical factory. At 17 metres high, this is the world’s largest vertical insect farm — home to at least 3 trillion mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor)...Insects have come under the spotlight over the past few years, as scientists seek alternative sources of protein to feed the rapidly expanding global population. A direct nutritional comparison shows that edible insect species have greater protein potential than do conventional meat products — 100 grams of mealworm larvae produces 25 g of protein, whereas 100 g of beef contains 20 g of protein. Insects also have a high food-conversion ratio when compared with livestock...In 2022, Ÿnsect’s research arm, which has secured more than 341 patents, launched the world’s first industrial genomic selection programme dedicated to insect breeding. Through Ÿnfabre, Hubert’s team has sequenced the genomes of the mealworms it breeds to gain an understanding of what makes the optimum protein-producing beetle."
