PhD thesis by Cassandra Maya
SUSINCHAIN
Insect-based meals in regular diets in Europe
SUStainable INsect CHAIN (SUSINCHAIN) aims to contribute to novel protein provision in diets and animal feed in Europe by overcoming the remaining barriers for increasing the economic viability of the insect value chain.
Maya C, Wilderspin DE, Costa AIA, Cunha LM, Roos N (2024). Introducing menus of three weekly insect- or plant-based dinner meals slightly reduced meat consumption in Danish families: Results of a randomized intervention study. Appetite, vol. 203, 107689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107689
De Almeida Costa AI, Monteiro MJP, Maya C, Rocha C, Faria BF, Lima RC, Cunha LM, Roos N (2025). Consumer sensory profiling and liking of Bolognese-type sauces: how do insect and plant foods really fare against red meat? Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. https://doi.org/10.1163/23524588-00001221
Veldkamp T, Meijer N, Alleweldt F, Deruytter D, Van Der Borght M, Vandeweyer D, Gasco L, Roos N, Smetana S, Fernandes A, van der Fels-Klerx HJ (2024). Sustainable integration of insects into European food chains, Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. https://doi.org/10.1163/23524588-00001240
Perception of edible insects and insect-based foods among children in Denmark: educational and tasting interventions in online and in-person classrooms. Maya, Cassandra, Sterling, K., Rukov, J. L. & Roos, Nanna, 2023, In: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. 9, 8, p. 989-1001 13 p.
Introducing insect- or plant-based dinner meals to families in Denmark: study protocol for a randomized intervention trial. Maya, Cassandra, Cunha, L. M., Costa, A. I. D. A., Veldkamp, T. & Roos, Nanna, 2022, In: Trials. 23, 9 p., 1028.
Overcoming technical and market barriers to enable sustainable large-scale production and consumption of insect proteins in Europe: A SUSINCHAIN perspective. Veldkamp, T., Meijer, N., Alleweldt, F., Deruytter, D., Campenhout, L. V., Laura, G., Roos, Nanna, Smetana, S., Fernandes, A. & Fels-Klerx, H. V. D., 2022, In: Insects. 13, 3, 14 p., 281.
Insects could help increase Europe’s food self-sufficiency but will they catch on? in: EU's Horizon magazin, 12 May 2020.
The potential of edible insects as meat replacements in the daily Danish diet. Maya, Cassandra, 2024, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. 131 p.
Edible insects can upgrade low-grade side streams of food production into highquality protein, amino acids and vitamins in a very efficient way. Insects are thus considered to be the “missing link” in the food system of a circular and sustainable economy.
The project focuses on provide the necessary knowledge and data for insect protein production and applications.
Nanna Roos, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen is leading Workpackage 5: ‘Insect-based meals in regular diets in Europe’ with the objective of piloting the integration of farmed edible insects in daily meals of European consumers by testing and refining the nutritional value, sensory quality, and assessing consumer acceptance of six novel insect-based food products.
The products will be tested in consumer studies in Denmark and Portugal, in menu-based interventions aiming to replace 20% of the meat protein with insect protein.
Funded by
The European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme.
Period: October 2019 - 2023
Contact
Associate Professor Nanna Roos