ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2022 53 Interest in the use of insect-based protein in food and feed is increasing, opening up opportunities for new marketing messages. Some examples: In the Netherlands, a major supermarket chain is selling eggs from hens fed with the larvae of the black soldier fly. Consumers feel good that the hens are able to enjoy their natural foraging behaviour and diet, and lay delicious eggs. For the supermarket, the sustainable and circular nature of the egg production is important. More research into the effects on chicken is conducted in the upcoming months. The use of insect-based feed is enabling more sustainable shrimp farming with feed specially designed for land-based shrimp producers who want to use feed produced with locally sourced ingredients. Initial tests with a recently launched insect-based aquafeed product indicates improvements in shrimp growth and survival rates. A PROMISING FUTURE There is now a solid amount of science-based knowledge and understanding about insect protein and its potential applications and every month • Locally produced Insect proteins (and the derived fats) are produced locally, and locally available plant-based waste streams can be used to feed insects. This reduces CO2-emissions for transport to a minimum. • Efficient nutrient recovery from organic waste streams One tonne of insects is capable of transforming 4.5 tonnes of low quality, plant-based waste into high-quality nutrients. • Efficient land use Insects can be grown quickly and do not need much space to do so. One tonne of insects can be grown in about 10 days using a land area of 20 square meters. • Low water usage Very little water is required to breed insects – less than 30 litres per tonne of insects. • Zero waste There is no waste in the breeding and processing of the black soldier fly. Even the insect frass which contains leftovers from the substrate, skins and insect droppings is a valuable raw material that can be used as a (organic) fertilizer. Benefits of black soldier fly larvae as a sustainable protein source
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==