In this episode, you will hear from Meghan Barrett, Assistant Professor of Biology at Indiana University Indianapolisand Founding Director of the Insect Welfare Research Society, together with Laura Gasco from the University of Torino.

We discuss what animal welfare means from a scientific perspective and why welfare should not be confused with productivity — a crucial issue as insect farming continues to scale. Meghan explains how welfare science evaluates animals through physiological, behavioral, and environmental indicators, and why individual experience matters.

The conversation explores concrete examples, including the use of insects in poultry feed, and examines how welfare considerations intersect with public trust and the “social license to operate.” We also look at emerging data on public perceptions of insect welfare and why transparency and ethical credibility are essential for the long-term development of the insect farming sector.

Laura Gasco introduces the next edition of Insects to Feed the World, taking place in Torino from June 9th to 12th, and renews the call for abstracts, open until January 23rd.

My name is Umberto Diecinove, I am a documentary photographer and I am currently leading a project titled I N S C T S which explores the potential role of insects in addressing environmental and social challenges. I’m doing it traveling, photographing research centres, farms, communities and companies all over the world and engaging with world experts, visionary entrepreneurs, activists and people working in the field. I do believe insects could be the next game changer.

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In this episode, you will hear from Adi Abada and Idan Aliagor, both from FreezeM.

We discussed the challenges that first-generation insect farming companies faced — mainly, having to build everything from scratch. As Idan explained, trying to manage the entire value chain at once made it extremely difficult to optimize any individual segment. Today, the rise of specialized players like FreezeM signals a maturing market, where segmentation is finally taking place, much like in other established industries.

The central themes of our conversation were the cost and variability of substrates and breeding optimization.

Idan described how data-driven methodologies and AI-based prediction tools can help companies evaluate new waste mixes before committing to trials, opening the door to more diverse, lower-cost inputs.

In his own words:

“The real deal will be to handle waste streams that might be seasonal or imperfect but are financially sustainable.”

Since FreezeM works with many clients globally, the team has a unique perspective on the industry. We therefore discussed genetic strains, substrate portfolios, the early industry’s overly optimistic expectations — and the possibility of a coming renaissance.

As Adi concludes:

“You need to be excited, then disappointed — and from there, you can grow.”

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In this episode, you will hear from Arnold van Huis, emeritus professor at Wageningen University and one of the world’s leading pioneers in the edible-insect sector, and Laura Gasco from the University of Torino, who will coordinate the Insects to Feed the World conference (June 9–12, 2026, in Torino).

We discussed common misconceptions and doubts surrounding edible insects, addressing legitimate questions while distinguishing them from misinformation or even intentional distortions. Among the topics we covered were food safety, chitin, the carbon footprint of insect farming, and potential environmental risks. Professor Van Huis also shared his views on the growing potential of insect farming today and the need for supportive public policies and effective science communication.

Laura added a couple of key points to the conversation:

“Insects are considered farmed animals, and because of that, they can only be fed with materials listed in the Catalogue of Feed Materials under Regulation (EU) 2022/1104. But outside Europe the rules are different, and this means the sector can evolve much more sustainably. I’m convinced that in Europe former products containing meat and fish, or catering waste, could be valuable and safe substrates, and research can play a key role in this process.”

She also introduced us to the next edition of Insects to Feed the World. The venue will be the Lingotto Conference Center in Torino, and the call for abstracts is already open, with a deadline of January 23rd. All information is available on the conference website: https://www.ifw2026.org.

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