Sept. 7, 2019: Record number of visitors to the 5th INSECTA® Conference, which the ATB hosted in Potsdam this year: With more than 270 participants from 38 countries, the conference was a complete success.
In more than 100 contributions, the experts discussed innovative approaches along the entire value chain: What are current practices in insect breeding and keeping? How can quality and safety be ensured in the production process? And are the demands of consumers and politicians?
In their keynote speeches, internationally renowned experts explored the potential of insect use. The event began with a pioneer in the field of edible insect research, Prof. Dr. Ir. Arnold van Huis, emeritus professor at Wageningen University and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. Heinrich Katz, managing partner of the insect-producing company Hermetia Baruth GmbH, presented the current EU guidelines on hygiene practices in production. The second day was primarily devoted to safety and environmental aspects as well as to the use of insects in the non-food sector. Dr.-Ing. Volker Heinz, head of the German Institute of Food Technology, discussed in his keynote speech to what extent the use of insects can enrich food and feed production. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Thomas Holzhauser, head of the research group Recombinant Allergen Therapeutics at the Paul Ehrlich Institute, dealt with the allergenic risks of edible insects.
The conference was held at the University of Potsdam at the historic site Neues Palais. "The organization of a conference in a building that is part of the World Cultural Heritage has a special quality," said Dr. Oliver Schlüter, convenor from the ATB who was in charge of the organization of this year's conference. "We can be a little proud of what we have achieved," said Schlüter in his closing speech. "In particular of the fact that this conference has developed into a real magnet for the scientific community interested in edible insects. This year we welcomed participants from all continents - and we are looking forward to seeing you again at the next INSECTA® conference".
The INSECTA® 2020 will be organized regularly by the cooperation partner PPM in Magdeburg.
Contact: Dr. Oliver Schlüter