A project focusing on using insect-derived feed
protein as a replacement for expensive soybean meal and fishmeal in poultry and pig diets is being spearheaded by the parent
company of British poultry and pig compound feed manufacturer ABN, AB Agri.
The project involves entomologists, biochemists and
nutritionists, combining the expertise within ABN with that of scientists at the
Food and Environment Research
Agency. Insect larvae will be grown on organic waste materials, then
processed for use in animal feeds and initially evaluated in poultry. “With
global protein supply currently struggling to keep up with worldwide demand, and
protein prices sky-high this year as a result, there’s a real need to develop
new, sustainable alternatives,” said ABN Technical Director Angela Booth. “This
project is an exciting opportunity to see if the highly digestible protein in
insect larvae could help meet that need. As a bonus, the organic waste substrate
is reduced in mass by around 50 percent, and can be used as a valuable
fertilizer.”
The aim is to have a viable pilot-scale production system up and running by
the end of the three-year project, which is jointly funded by AB Agri and the
Technology Strategy Board. In addition to overcoming the technical production
challenges, a strong focus will be placed on evaluating the feed’s nutritional
value and its suitability for use as an animal feed, especially in relation to
consumer acceptability.
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