Sustainable and circular feed source for the aquaculture industry (RD022)

Aim:

During this project InsPro will build a prototype bioconversion unit (BCU), trial it with our partner retailer, using their food waste to feed Black Solider Fly Larvae (BSFL), and carry out feeding trials at Mere Trout and Sparsholt College using BSFL enriched feed.

Funding Amount:

£212,682

Duration of Project:

18 Months

Photo of fly larvae in a hand

Project Outcome:

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology is well proven, but gaps remain such as the performance of fish fed on a BSF diet in a real-life commercial situation and how to cost effectively access substrate. Inspro’s game-changing and innovative technology tackles food waste at source through the provision of on-site Bio Conversion Units (BCUs) which take local food by-products as a feed substrate for Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL).

The project sought to increase the level of knowledge around the use of insect meal in the diets of trout. This was achieved by the publication of a research paper by Kieran Magee et al entitled Valorisation of Organic Waste By-Products Using Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as a Bio-Convertor which can be found here.

Current UK legislation allows the use of insect meal as Processed Animal Protein. Legislative change on the use of seafood materials as substrates would open up the market when it is deemed safe to do so.

Many thanks to the SIF programme and to those who helped from the University of Liverpool, Sparsholt College, Mere Trout, BioMar, Tidy Planet, MadLeap, ECH Engineering and all the Inspro staff, direct and indirect, who helped on this very rewarding research project. Inspro was very grateful to Cefas administration for flexible payment of funds during COVID that helped us better manage cashflow.

STATUS: Completed

Project Lead

InsPro Ltd