Enhancing sustainability in meat production through insect biorefinery

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Conventional meat production relies heavily on feed crops and fossil fuels, raising sustainability concerns.
• There is a critical need for alternative substrates and renewable energy sources in livestock feed and biofuel production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of insect biorefining using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for producing livestock feed and biodiesel.
• To assess the bioconversion efficiency and biomass composition of BSFL cultivated on organic waste.

Main Methods:

• Cultivation of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) on organic waste for 24 days.
• Analysis of BSFL biomass for protein and lipid content, varying with cultivation time and substrate.
• Calculation of potential protein and lipid productivity per hectare per year.

Main Results:

• Bioconversion efficiency of organic waste into BSFL biomass ranged from 32.0-35.8% over 24 days.
• BSFL protein and lipid composition varied with cultivation time; substrate quality influenced lipid accumulation.
• Potential productivity of proteins (42,471-48,345 kg/ha/y) and lipids (41,642-64,708 kg/ha/y) from BSFL exceeded conventional feedstocks like maize and soybean.

Conclusions:

• Insect biorefineries utilizing BSFL are a viable strategy for sustainable meat production.
• BSFL cultivation on organic waste offers a promising alternative for producing high-value protein and lipid biomass.
• This approach contributes to reducing reliance on traditional feed crops and fossil fuels in agriculture.