Insects as Food and Feed SIG Conference 2026: Science, Industry and Innovation
19 November @ 09:30 – 20 November @ 17:00
Insects as Food and Feed SIG Conference 2026: Science, Industry and Innovation
Date: Thursday 19th – Friday 20th November 2026 (timings TBC)
Venue: New RES Headquarters, Wenlock Road, Near Old Street, London
The insects as food and feed sector is entering an exciting and pivotal period. The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland’s 2026 assessment of emerging food innovation identifies edible insects among the technologies expected to be relevant to the UK food system between 2025 and 2035, while the forthcoming UK–EU SPS agreement is set to reshape the regulatory landscape. With the FAO reporting yields of around 2 kg of feed capable of producing 1 kg of insect biomass, the sector also offers huge potential for efficient production, circular systems and the valorisation of side streams.
Over two days, leading researchers, industry professionals, producers and regulators will come together for IAFF to share cutting-edge science, tackle the challenges facing the sector and explore opportunities spanning nutrition, circular production, regulation, scale-up and commercialisation. Expect fresh ideas, practical insights and plenty of opportunities to make connections and build collaborations across academia and industry.
Following the success of our 2025 meeting, IAFF26 will also be the Royal Entomological Society’s first major event at our new London Headquarters, giving delegates the chance to experience the new space, including the Society’s library and rare books collection.
Here’s what our 2025 delegates had to say:
“Well organised, good agenda & speakers, valuable insights and diverse perspectives.”
“Packed with amazing information (relevant to my research) and rejuvenated my energies to move forward with studies.”
“What a breath of fresh air. Compared to previous events I’ve been to, the breadth of topics covered was superb and the quality of the Keynote speakers excellent. This was everything you hope for at such an event.”
Please note that due to venue capacity this event will be capped at 100 attendees, so we advise you to book early to secure your place.
Keynotes
Marc Pignitter, University of Vienna
Beyond Protein: Insect Oils as the Next Generation of Sustainable Functional Lipids
Marc Pignitter is Full Professor of Analytical Food Chemistry and Food Development at the University of Vienna, Austria. His research focuses on food lipidomics, oxidative stability, and the development of sustainable and functional food lipids. He combines advanced analytical approaches, including LC-MS- and GC-MS-based lipidomics, to investigate lipid composition, processing effects, and bioactive compounds in plant- and animal-derived food systems.
He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology and is Division Chair for Lipid Oxidation and Quality within the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS). He is also Division Chair of Analytics at Euro Fed Lipid. His work bridges fundamental lipid chemistry and applied food innovation with a strong focus on sustainability and food quality.
Tom Berry, Former Founder & CEO of Nutrition Technologies
Building an insect-as-feed company in Asia: experiences and lessons learnt from entry to exit
Tom Berry is an experienced insect founder and operator with over a decade of hands-on experience in the global agritech and insect-as-feed sectors.
From 2015 to 2025, Tom was the Co-Founder and CEO of Nutrition Technologies, where he built Asia’s first industrial scale black soldier fly production factility. During this time he focused on the day-to-day realities of scaling industrial insect production and building out regional supply chains in Asia. He guided the company from early-stage R&D through multiple investment rounds to full commercial-scale manufacturing, ultimately steering the business through its acquisition by Sentara Group in early 2025.
Following the transition, Tom returned to the UK to found Wildwyn, a new venture that integrates insect-derived and circular-economy inputs into the UK and European pet and agri markets. His focus remains on the commercial application and product-market fit of insect products across multiple sectors.
Steven Barbosa, IPIFF
The EU Insect Industry Today: Policy & Regulation
Steven possesses a solid background working with EU institutions for almost 20 years. He is an experienced policy professional with a strong background in EU affairs, advocacy, and international relations. Currently serving as Secretary General at IPIFF (International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed), he has over a decade of experience in shaping EU policies. In previous positions he has worked within and towards EU institutions such as European Parliament, Council of the EU and European Commission.
Abstracts
We are now accepting abstracts for talks and posters, along the following themes:
- Environment & Economy
- Policy (regulation, risk and sector growth)
- Integrated systems (environment and circular economy)
- Scaling biology into industry (genetics, physiology and engineering)
- Nutrition (Food & Feed)
The deadline for abstract submissions is Friday 25th September, 5pm.
Partner with us
We would love to hear from you if you are interested in partnering with us at IAFF26, as a sponsor or exhibitor. Contact fran.fleming@royensoc.co.uk for more information.
Convenors
Jess is the Royal Entomological Society’s Project Officer. With a strong academic and industry background in vector-borne diseases, she maintains extensive links across academia and industry, including ongoing supervision and support of students. Elected a Fellow of the Society in 2025, she works across a broad portfolio of projects supporting emerging member needs, strengthening links between science and industry, and helping the RES develop innovative services for newly evolving areas of entomology.
Jess leads the Society’s work on insects as food and feed, supporting the development of best practice, policy-relevant guidance, and engagement with industry and other stakeholders.
Dr. Daniel R. Amor, University of Bristol
Daniel completed his Master’s degree and PhD at the University of Nottingham, where his research focused on the relationship between insect protein structure and functionality in food structure, particularly at interfaces, as well as the development of sustainable, high-protein, insect-based snack products using compression popping technologies.
Following his PhD, he continued as a researcher at Nottingham, contributing to a diverse range of projects in soft matter biomaterials and biointerfaces, spanning fundamental studies of novel biomaterials through to clinical applications of non-fermentable fibres.
He subsequently moved to the University of Bristol, where he taught Biochemistry for two years and achieved AFHEA status. He now leads the Pharmacology Teaching Laboratory within Bristol Medical School. Daniel continues to serve as a convenor of RES-IAFF, maintaining strong links with his specialist research area.
Kieran Robertson, Queen’s University Belfast
Kieran is a TEDx Speaker, Convenor of the RES Food & Feed Special Interest Group, Co-Chair and Secretary of the IWRS Early Career Committee, and a PhD Researcher at the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast. Throughout his PhD, Robertson seeks to research the application of insects and insect proteins in livestock feed to reduce soybean dependence and support sustainable agri-food systems.
Registration
Note: By registering for and attending this event, you acknowledge that photographs and/or video recordings may be taken. These images may be used by the Royal Entomological Society for promotional, educational, and archival purposes, including publication on our website, social media, and printed materials. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform a member of the organising team on arrival or contact us in advance at events@royensoc.co.uk.
This year, you can choose to attend a single day, or both days of the conference. View the prices and register below.
Registration Deadline: 13 November 17:00 (GMT)
| SINGLE DAY | |
| RES Student Member | £30 |
| RES Member | £60 |
| RES Associate Member or Non Member | £120 |
| TWO DAYS | |
| RES Student Member | £50 |
| RES Member | £110 |
| RES Associate Member or Non Member | £200 |
