Printed food with insect meal may be Örebro's contribution to sustainable development
Will grasshoppers, honeybees and flour beetles serve as human food in Sweden’s not too distant future?
The decision has been taken to perform a feasibility study for The Meal Laboratory, a local project with the aim of investigating whether Örebro University will take part in the transition deemed necessary in order to feed the world's growing population.
“This study involves identifying opportunities for the large-scale cultivation of insects, 3D-printing of food and packaging, a project which includes researchers from several schools and businesses,” says project leader Annika Grälls.
Region Örebro County has decided to finance the feasibility study with almost 900,000 SEK. Besides the School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Science (RHS) in Grythyttan, several companies, Alfred Nobel Science Park and the Manufacturing Technology Centre, TTC, are also involved in the project.
“3D-printing technology could be used to print food making use of sustainable raw materials such as meal from insects, grass or algae,” states Annika Grälls.
Climate change
It is the combination of global trends like an ever-growing world population, limited natural resources and predicted climate change, that requires a new sustainable way of thinking about how and what we eat, and likewise, of the production of food.
“There are several factors in favour of using insects as human food – they are nutritious, fast growing and can be grown in cities. And already today, insect food is part of the diet for two billion people,” says Annika Grälls.
Contact with the Basque Culinary Center
The idea behind The Meal Laboratory is to create an internationally competitive environment for innovation, where research and industry may cooperate on production, consumption and the logistics of meals.
Included in the feasibility study is a planned trip to Spain’s “Basque Culinary Center” in San Sebastian to establish contacts. The Nordic and Spanish cuisines are prominent within new gastronomy and Stefan Wennström, head of the RHS, sees the exchange of teachers and students as part of the development.
The feasibility study will be completed in September this year.
Text: Maria Elisson
Translation: Jerry Gray
Photo: Örebro University