Bulgaria association of insect producers aims to introduce legislation developing the sector

Bulgaria has the potential to become a leading producer of insect products in Central and Eastern Europe, said Kremena Dervenkova, co-chair of the Association of Insect Producers in Bulgaria (AIPB), at a press conference. 

insects in a tube seen from above

The organization aims to develop a competitive environment and introduce legislation in this country that allows the development of the insect sector. The AIPB will also work for the public acceptance of insects as a source of protein in foods for animals and humans, Dervenkova pointed out. 

This is a new industry in Bulgaria and it needs a legislative and administrative framework to develop and grow, according to the association, and none of the regulations adopted and introduced by the EU in this area have been applied in Bulgaria yet. Anatoli Tsenov, co-chair of the Association, said that the European Union has adopted regulations for the production of alternative proteins from house crickets, black soldier flies, silkworms, migratory grasshoppers, mealworms and houseflies.

The food base used in the production of some of the insects consists of by-products of the food industry: wheat bran, brewer's yeast and clean water, said Kamen Krastanov of the association. According to him, the insects are used to produce protein flour, oil and organic fertilizer - frass. He added that insects can also be used as ingredients in food products such as breads, candy and bars.

Currently, two billion people on the planet consume insects on a daily basis, said Dervenkova. She pointed out that insect consumption has returned to the West in the last ten years because of its potential to be a solution to the looming food crisis.

The AIPB is organizing a round table on foods of the future on June 20.

Source: BTA.bg