More than 100 investors, farmers, producers, and researchers from around the globe convened at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonnington campus to discuss the burgeoning industry of edible insects, which many are promoting as a sustainable and nutritious future source of protein. The event, held recently in the Hive building on the rural campus, brought together entrepreneurs and industry experts who have spent years developing techniques to integrate insects into mainstream diets.
One of the main challenges highlighted during the conference is overcoming cultural stigma and restrictive UK food regulations. While edible insects have been integrated into diets in many parts of the world for centuries, the UK has been slower to embrace them, partly due to the influence of popular culture and existing legal frameworks.
Nahla Mahmoud, founder of The Insect Café based in Edinburgh, showcased a range of insect-based products, including mealworm chocolate, blueberry and hibiscus cricket cake, almond cricket brownies, mealworm lava balls, and cricket muffins. Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Nahla explained her company’s innovative approach: “We are the first food tech company there making everyday foods with insects; we turn them into flour and then we bake with the flour. Then we can make some wholesome cakes, then we also use them in their whole form, where we roast them, season them and put them on cakes or use them as croutons. We also use them as chocolate.”
Nahla added that she initially began incorporating insects into her diet as a post-workout snack due to her long-distance swimming and gradually experimented with recipes, emphasising the naturally nutty and earthy flavours of insects. “I think that once people try it it will change their minds, as just has so many benefits,” she said.
The conference was organised by the UK Edible Insect Association (UKEIA), which aims to foster growth in the small but international industry. Dr Nick Rousseau, MD and founder of UKEIA, observed, “It’s a really good turnout, it’s a varied turnout as well. There is still a very small industry that needs to learn and grow together. This has proven to be very international, people from Africa and Taiwan.” He also spoke about the psychological barriers people have regarding eating insects, saying, “I’m a bit of a foodie and a psychologist by background, so I find it really interesting that people have these preconceptions that it’s like it is in I’m A Celebrity, and they have done a lot of damage to us. I get people to try these products and often they are blown away as they expect it to be disgusting.”
Among the companies present was Hop Bars, a protein bar start-up co-founded by Geoffrey Knott, which aims to introduce cricket-based protein bars and powders into the fitness market. Knott said, “We really wanted a product that was highly nutritious and sustainably produced. Don’t get me wrong—I love a steak and a bit of chicken, yet when we looked for a more sustainable and healthy alternative, we landed on this. Dried crickets have twice the protein found in steak, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more vitamin B12 than salmon, and more fibre than brown rice. They really are a superfood.”
Throughout the event, attendees sampled various items, including protein bars, cakes, mincemeats, and roasted seasoned insects. The reporter from Nottinghamshire Live noted a change of opinion after tasting the products, stating that flavour was not the primary obstacle to wider acceptance. “The only thing blocking these crunchy, nutty, bite-size animals from being on our plates is government red tape,” they commented.
Despite enthusiasm at the conference, participants acknowledged that UK legislation remains a significant barrier to the expansion of the edible insect market. The UK’s departure from the European Union is cited as having delayed progress, as the EU was on track to approve edible insects as food around the time of the Brexit referendum, leaving the UK behind in regulatory advancement.
While edible insects are already appearing in European supermarkets, the UK continues to face cultural resistance and regulatory hurdles before insect-based foods become widely available. The conference demonstrated ongoing efforts by stakeholders to innovate within these constraints and build acceptance of insects as a sustainable, nutritious food source for the future.
Source: Noah Wire Services