THE PEMBROKESHIRE woman behind Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm and Bug Farm Foods has disputed claims that insect protein ‘mince’ will soon be rolled out to school dinner menus in the county.

In a submitted question to be heard at the Pembrokeshire County Council meeting of October 17, member of the public Valerie Sutherland will ask: “At a recent Biodiversity Study Day, Dr Sarah Beynon of the St David’s Bug Farm said that VEXo – the ‘mince’ used in their spaghetti bolognese comprising insect protein and vegetables – will be rolled out to Pembrokeshire schools soon.

“Has a contract for this been signed for imminent rollout? If so, have the allergic reactions and inflammatory issues been taken fully into account as children with seafood allergies will be affected by the chitin in this product?”

In a related question, she will also ask: “Insects bred for human consumption carry parasites that are seriously harmful to humans. Are councillors aware of the potentially serious health implications of children effectively being forced to consume insect protein as outlined [in an accompanying study]?”

Pembrokeshire is well known for Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm, the vision of Dr Sarah Beynon, who wanted to combine her love of farming, academic research and education by setting up a centre of excellence in her hometown of St Davids, with VEXo produced by Bug Farm Foods.

Dr Beynon, responding to the published submitted question, disputed saying the ‘mince’ would be ‘rolled out’ to schools.

“I did not say this, as it is not true. I explained the exciting development of VEXo insect and plant protein mince with over 2,000 Pembrokeshire school children, teachers, social scientists, nutritionists, Welsh Government and Innovate UK, explaining that VEXO Bolognese was due to be offered on school menus in Pembrokeshire in 2020.

“Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic hit during the same week that we were due to finalise the roll-out with Pembrokeshire County Council. Schools were closed, so it did not go ahead. I mentioned that we are looking forward to revisiting this with Pembrokeshire County Council in the future, but did not put a timeframe on it.”

On pupils being ‘forced’ to consume the protein, Dr Beynon added: “We would never force anyone to eat anything they didn’t want to. Pupils are never forced to consume a food – during the previous discussions, it would be offered as a choice on the menu.

“Interestingly, 100 per cent of pupils liked VEXo Bolognese and one of the most wonderful outcomes of in-school workshops we ran was that children said it made them want to learn more about sustainability in schools. It also increased the take-up of school meals.”

On other issues raised by the questioner, she said: “As insects, like crustaceans, are arthropods, those allergic to crustaceans may also be allergic to insects. As with any other food, allergen labelling is vital, and all of our insect-based products are labelled appropriately and allergen information provided to groups who visit us in advance.”

She finished: “All plant, fungi and livestock foods have the potential to carry pests, parasites and pesticides that can be harmful to humans. The vital stage in eating them is how they are processed or cooked with industry-standard critical control points reached. Insects are no different. Insects farmed for human food are anaesthetized before being killed (frozen) and are cooked at high temperatures. Full microbiology testing is carried out.

“The fact that the resultant products have a stable ambient shelf life for around two years shows just how low-risk the food product is. Insects used in Bug Farm Foods’ food products are farmed in UK insect farms with the very highest biosecurity standards. Because the industry is relatively new to the UK and Europe, the legislation around farming them has been developed with modern understanding of biosecurity and animal welfare, meaning that it is some of the most up-to-date in the world.

“VEXo was specifically developed, here in Pembrokeshire, to tackle issues related to childhood obesity and nutrition gaps in growing young people. It contains about 80 per cent less saturated fat than a conventional meat-based Bolognese and is high in iodine, which is often low in teenage girls’ diets. Insects contain highly digestible protein, contain all essential amino acids, heme iron and a really good ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.”

The questions will be heard and responded to at the meeting.

FOR the third consecutive year, a Pembrokeshire College ECITB Scholarship learner has been recognised among the best in the UK. Luke Roberts has been named as one of three finalists in the New Entrant Award category at the prestigious 2024 ECI Training and Development Awards.

Luke commented: “I’m honoured to have been selected as a finalist; this is a really proud moment for me as a student. I’d like to say a thank you to my tutors for all their help and support with my journey.”

This national recognition highlights the continued success of Pembrokeshire College’s ECITB Scholarship programme and its commitment to nurturing talent in the engineering and construction sectors.

William Bateman, Curriculum Area Manager for the Faculty of Engineering and Computing commented: “We are incredibly proud that Luke has been shortlisted as a finalist. This recognition is a true reflection of his dedication and hard work. Luke has consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment, always being the first to arrive and the last to leave. His success is also a credit to the outstanding guidance he has received from our exceptional lecturers and tutors, who have helped him develop an impressive skillset across all welding processes. We couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate his achievements!”

The Scholarship was developed to ensure a continuous flow of new talent into the industry and to equip Scholars with the core skills essential for a successful career.

To find out more about the Engineering courses we offer please visit our website: www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk

THE COLLEGE’S WRU Hub Officer and renowned rugby coach, Aled Waters, has recently returned from an exciting series of coaching stints in Germany and Austria, where he worked with top youth and national teams as part of ongoing international rugby collaborations.

In Germany, Aled’s coaching efforts were focused on a partnership between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Rugby Deutschland, working with the Under-16s National 7s Squad. As part of this unique link, Aled provided high-performance coaching designed to develop the young squad’s skills in the fast-paced 7s format, preparing them for future international competitions.

After his time in Germany, Aled travelled to Austria, where he played a pivotal role in preparing the Austrian National Rugby Team for their participation in the upcoming Rugby Europe Competition, taking place over three consecutive weekends. His expertise helped ready the team for their first test, culminating in a thrilling match against Hungary.

Speaking about his international experience, Aled commented: “It’s been an incredible opportunity to help nurture rugby talent in both Germany and Austria. The players’ dedication and commitment are impressive, and I’m excited to see how they perform in upcoming tournaments.”

Looking ahead, Aled’s coaching journey is far from over. In November, he will be heading to Italy to continue his international coaching work, helping teams prepare for further competition within the Rugby Europe framework.