Crickets – protein-rich food on your plate

There is great interest in protein-rich foods, and in many parts of the world insects are seen as a possible source of protein. Crickets are nutritious insects. There are problems, however, and this is where the Swedish house cricket can play a major role.

A much-feared virus poses major problems for cricket breeders. The densovirus damages several tissues in the cricket, is highly contagious and can in the worst-case scenario eradicate entire colonies.

Anna Jansson, professor of domestic animal physiology at SLU and her colleagues has studied the Swedish House cricket, and using their research results they have been able to establish that we have a cricket that is completely free of viruses.

Developement work inspired to research and innovation

Anna Jansson's interest in crickets developed thanks to a strong driving force regarding contribution to sustainable food provision from a global perspective, combined with valuable experience from a Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) project in Cambodia. This interest inspired continued research into the protein-rich house cricket.

Now, in order to be able to offer breeders worldwide crickets that are guaranteed to be virus-free, they have started up the company SciIns, which will breed and sell house crickets for breeding purposes. Their offering is a breakthrough within the industry.