ARTICLE F&A Alternative Proteins Edition April 2023 31 Incorporating insects into animal feed therefore feeds animals’ natural appetite. Insects are packed with goodness, and also offer benefits in terms of sustainability. Insect proteins and fats are produced locally, and locally available plant-based by-products can be used to feed the insects. This reduces CO2-emissions for transport to a minimum. In fact, the overall CO2 footprint can be reduced by up to 24-fold compared with commonly used feed ingredients. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT A recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by the highly regarded Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL) assessed exactly how sustainable insect ingredients from Protix are. Parameters measured included global warming, and the land and water used in producing insect ingredients. The analysis shows outstanding scores for insect proteins (ProteinX), lipids (LipidX) and purée (PureeX) produced in Protix’s Bergen Op Zoom facility. Highlights of the DIL study include: - ProteinX insect meal (at 1.149 kg CO2 equivalent) has almost a seven-fold lower CO2 footprint than the soy protein concentrate (at 7.5 kg CO2 equivalent) often found in livestock and aqua feed. - Each kilogram of ProteinX reduces water consumption by 330 litres (190 litres vs 520 litres for soy protein concentrate). - Replacing coconut oil with LipidX in pet food and livestock feed returns over 12m2 of arable land to nature for each kilogram of fats. LipidX® uses 0.898 m2 of land compared with coconut oil at 12.98 m2. - The CO2 footprint and impact on global warming is up to 24 times lower with insect-based PureeX (at 0.439 CO2 equivalent per kilogram product) than with poultry meat (10.33 kg CO2 equivalent), which is commonly used in pet food as a high moisture protein source. Clearly, it can be concluded that the use of insects, specifically the black soldier fly, as a sustainable source of protein and other nutrients is a natural and logical step in creating a lower footprint while maintaining high taste and performance. Although a relatively new industry, scientific research and investment mean insects are a viable long-term solution. SECRET TO THE SUCCESS: THE BLACK SOLDIER FLY The secret to sustainability success is the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). This species has an amazing capacity to consume organic waste and turn it rapidly into valuable proteins and lipids. It is the missing link in our food system. The larvae of the black soldier fly contain more nutrients than the larvae of other
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