The following is a short briefing paper I created in (successful) application for an internship at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). This office produces (amongst other things) POST notes which provide parliamentarians with concise, timely information on various topics. Sustainable production of necessary dietary components is something I find fascinating and I chose to explore protein a bit further. I hope you enjoy it!
On 13 May 2013 the FAO released a new book: "Edible Insects: future prospects for feed and food security". There is growing concern regarding sustainable protein production for a growing population. This document addresses the role of protein in our diet, and the UK’s ability to produce it in the future.
On 13 May 2013 the FAO released a new book: "Edible Insects: future prospects for feed and food security". There is growing concern regarding sustainable protein production for a growing population. This document addresses the role of protein in our diet, and the UK’s ability to produce it in the future.
Background
Protein is required in the human
diet for growth and replacement of all cells in the body. Proteins are made
from amino acids, which are present in all living things. There are 24 amino
acids in the human body, 16 of which can be synthesised by healthy adult cells.
The remaining 8 must be supplied from the diet, and are termed 'indispensable'.
Red and white meats, eggs, cheese, fish, nuts and beans are considered to be the 'high quality' proteins
as they contain all 8 indispensable amino acids. 'Poor quality' proteins are
those lacking at least 1 amino acid including wheat, rice, and maize. Their
incomplete protein profile can be overcome by eating complementary proteins
e.g. a meal of beans (pulse) on toast (cereal) gives protein of equal quality
to meat, meaning a vegetarian diet can supply an adequate profile of
indispensable amino acids (1).
Recommended Protein Consumption
The recommended daily allowance
of protein is 55 g for an average adult (2). The National Diet and Nutrition
Survey (NDNS) (3) found that the average adult
consumption of protein was actually above this, with men consuming an average
of 85.1 g day-1 and women 64.4 g day-1 (Table 1).
Table 1. Dietary protein intake for UK
population
Boys
(4-18)
|
Men
(19-64)
|
Men
(65+)
|
Girls
(4-18)
|
Women
(19-64)
|
Women
(65+)
|
|
Median daily protein intake (g) (3)
|
63.0
|
85.1
|
77.0
|
55.9
|
64.4
|
63.3
|
Consumption of up to 2-3 times the recommended guideline of protein is considered harmless; however once the body's protein needs are met excess protein is simply used for its calorific value, and surplus to requirements will be stored as fat.
UK Protein Requirement
and Production
Based on results from the NDNS
and population estimates (4) it can be estimated that each
year the UK requires almost 1.5 million tonnes of red meat, 700,000 tonnes of
white meat, 500,000 tonnes of fish, and 300,000 tonnes of pulses. Currently the
UK imports around 90% of meat consumed, but its self-sufficiency in producing
beef stands at 80%, sheep at 65%, pork at 60-70% and poultry 88% (5). These figures are however in
steady decline.
A food security analysis found
that the UK is able to produce sufficient calories from arable, horticulture
and livestock farming to provide the population with a healthy (if restricted)
diet in a crisis situation (6). In reality it is unlikely
the UK would act in isolation from the global market, and consumers are likely
to demand a greater supply of high quality products over time, so the demand
for meat is unlikely to fall.
Sustainability of meat production
The concerns surrounding future
meat production include: production of cereals for animals that could instead
be used for human consumption, environmental degradation from agricultural
practices (POSTnote 418) greenhouse gas emissions, and concerns for animal
welfare in more efficient 'intensive' systems (POSTnote 404). There are also
serious concerns regarding the sustainability of fish stocks (6).
Table 2. Efficiency of animal-sourced protein production (7)
Table 2. Efficiency of animal-sourced protein production (7)
Cricket
|
Poultry
|
Pork
|
Beef
|
|
Feed conversion ratio (kg feed: kg live weight)
|
1.7
|
2.5
|
5
|
10
|
% edible weight
|
80-100
|
55
|
55
|
40
|
g protein per kg edible weight
|
154-205
|
200
|
150
|
190
|
Production of meat is very inefficient in
energy terms. The argument for the incorporation of insects into our diets
centres on this inefficiency. For example, 5 kg feed is required to produce 1
kg pork (see Table 2), whereas
crickets require only 1.7 kg feed per kg live weight. In addition more of the
organism is edible (having no bones) and they provide protein equal to red or
white meat. In all they are a much more efficient source of protein. While
pulses are an even more efficient and lower-cost form of protein production, in
the UK their consumption is 5 times lower than that of red meat. Considering
this preference for red meat as a protein source it seems unlikely insects
would be accepted as a protein alternative.
Between January 2007 and December
2008 the cost of beef rose 21 %, lamb 16 %, poultry 23 % and fish 15% (6). As the cost of animal feed
is linked to the price of nitrogen fertiliser – which is in turn linked to oil
prices – it is likely that the price of meat to the consumer will continue to
rise in coming years.
Conclusions
Owing to consumer preference it is unlikely that insects
will form part of our diets in the near future. Sustainable production of
protein is still a concern, and it is likely that pressure from rising food
costs may yet force a reduction in the consumption of meat. Farming of insects
for the global market may however provide another source of income for UK
farmers.
References
1. G. Wiseman, Nutrition and Health (Taylor and Francis, 2002).
2. FSA, Manual of Nutrition (The Stationery Office, ed. 11, 2008).
3. Department of Health, National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Headline Results from Years 1, 2 and 3 (combined) of the Rolling Programme 2008/09 – 2010/11 (2012) (available at http://transparency.dh.gov.uk/2012/07/25/ndns-3-years-report/).
4. Dataset: Estimates of resident population: number, by age group, annual 2011, MFPHealth and Social Care Information Centre (2012) (available at https://indicators.ic.nhs.uk/webview/).
5. T. Garnett, Meat and Dairy Production & Consumption (2007; http://www.fcrn.org.uk/sites/default/files/TGlivestock_env_sci_pol_paper.pdf).
6. Defra, UK Food Security Assessment: Detailed Analysis (2010; http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food-assess100105.pdf).
7. A. van Huis, Potential of insects as food and feed in assuring food security, Annual review of entomology 58, 563–83 (2013).
