When it comes to insects, very few people are aware of the significant contribution insects offers to our ecosystem. Whether through pollinating plants, controlling agricultural pest populations, or serving as the main protein source to a wide variety of mammals, insects are the lynchpin of much of the natural world and our food supply chains. Could insects do even more?
Our meat-heavy eating habits and production processes come with tremendous environmental costs. As the world population continues to rise, we will need to find new, sustainable sources to satisfy the protein appetite of future generations.
One possible solution? Insects.
How do insects match up against other protein sources in their environmental and health impact? What would it take for consumers to incorporate insects into their diets? What roles could chefs, startups, and families play in making insect-based food mainstream?
These questions will be explored at “Taste the Future: Could insects be a sustainable protein alternative?”—jointly organized by Green Initiatives, Consulate-General of the Netherlands, and Bits x Bites.
About the Speaker:
Arnold van Huis is a professor of tropical entomology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He is one of the masterminds behind the global movement around the human consumption of insects. He has been featured in a TEDx talk, French documentary Global Steak, and more.
He is also a coauthor of The Insect Cookbook: Food for a Sustainable Planet. In addition, he is a consultant to FAO on insects as food and feed.
Panelists
- Arnold van Huis, Wageningen University
- Jacky Wu, COO, Bugsolutely Bella Pupa
- Federico Duarte, Culinary Expert-in-Residence, IDEO; Co-Founder, YEAST
Event Itinerary:
- 18:30-19:30 Registrations & networking
- 19:30-19:40 Green Initiatives introduction
- 19:40-20:40 Presentations, panel, and Q&A
- 20:40 Networking
