How To Make Homemade InsulinSince the discovery of insulin in 1922 by a team of Canadian researchers, making insulin for the treatment of diabetes has always depended on living organisms. Before the advent of biotechnology, the organisms used were the pigs and cows destined for our dinner plates-specifically, their pancreas glands, a waste product of the meatpacking industry. Pig parts were needed to extract purified insulin. Lucky for us, both pork- and beef-derived insulin are nearly identical to human insulin and can be utilized by our bodies to convert the carbohydrates we eat into energy.