CIWM Early Careers Ambassador Emma Copley, Senior Waste Consultant at WSP, explores what the food of the future may look like and how organic waste management can play a role in making the future food systems more circular.
The Black Solider Fly (Hermetia illucens), also known as the humble fly, has distinctive eating behaviours which distinguish it from other insects.
Black Soldier Flies are detritivores: organisms which obtain nutrients by eating decaying organic material. Their larvae have an amazing ability to use their mouthparts to liquefy their food rather than digesting it internally, which allows them to consume a range of organic material.
Because of these unique features, the Black Soldier Fly – with its low pathogenicity, rapid life cycle, and high bioconversion rate – has been well documented as a good option for use in insect bioconversion
What is insect bioconversion?
Insects can provide an alternative source of high-quality protein for animal feed and human food.
Fly larvae and other species of insects are highly efficient at transforming low-nutrient organic material into fats and proteins that are high-value ingredients for reuse as bio-fuel, feed materials, and bio-fertiliser.
This is known as bioconversion – the process of breaking down an initial feedstock, such as surplus fruit and vegetables, and converting it into protein.
How can insect bioconversion contribute to a more circular food system?
Humans and animals generate a large volume of biological waste and by-products; for example, food waste, sewage sludge, manure, and the current methods of treatment may not be the most carbon-efficient solution.
Additionally, an increasing human population is seeing more pressure being placed on producing enough conventional protein sources like meat and fish for human consumption.
This increase in livestock is leading to added pressures on the land and water supply while generating greenhouse gases.
A potential solution to this problem is to start introducing alternative proteins into the human food chain.
Alternative proteins can include products that would be consumed directly by humans, such plant-based meat substitutes, or by introducing insects as feed for animal by-products consumed by humans, both of which require fewer natural inputs – like water – to produce.
Using insects to generate these alternative proteins creates an opportunity to recover nutrients from organic wastes and bring them back into the food chain, creating a circular economy.
Currently, the majority of Black Soldier Fly farming is used to harvest fly larvae before they become flies. The larvae can be crushed into a powder or kept whole, either dead or alive, to be used for animal or fish food, agricultural fertiliser, and ingredients for biodiesel.
The larvae also possess a skin that contains Chitin which has the potential to be processed into a flexible, plastic packaging material.
Insect farming also generates a by-project called frass – also known as insect manure – which can be used as a fertiliser.
Another benefit of insect bioconversion is that insects only emit small quantities of CO2, and also prevent methane from being formed if waste is left to decompose in a landfill or within a composting unit.
What are the current barriers to using insect bioconversion in the UK?
The main barrier to the production of insects as feed is UK regulations. In September 2021, EU amendments to Regulation 999/2001 now allow the feeding of insect protein to pigs, poultry and fish.
However, in the UK, the retained provisions of Regulation 999/2001 mean that the feeding of insect protein is only permitted for use in pet food and in aquaculture.
Elsewhere in the world, regulations are changing to allow the use of insects as animal and fish feed. In the US, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved using Black Soldier Fly larvae as feed for salmonoids (fish), poultry and pigs.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency have approved whole dried larvae in feed for tilapia (fish) and poultry.
In many countries where insects have traditionally been consumed, such as parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, there are generally no laws against using insects for animal feed or human consumption.
The UK needs to amend current UK legislation in order to avoid being left behind in the insect biomass conversion industry.
The UK is missing an opportunity to use Brexit to accelerate the use of insect protein within the UK and become a world industry leader.
Where is insect bioconversion being used in the UK?
There are a number of new insect farms which have been developed in the UK, although the farms are generally on a small-scale basis.
Morrisons has launched its own line of carbon-neutral eggs which are generated on farms where hens are fed a diet of insects.
In partnership with Better Origin, Morrisons has also installed mini insect farms in containerised systems on a number of their free-range egg farms. The insects are grown on Morrisons’ surplus fruit and vegetables before being fed live to the hens.
In addition, MyGroup recently opened its first Black Soldier Fly farm in Yorkshire. The site houses a number of containerised insect farms which will generate an insect protein meal product for sale to the market.
Outside of the UK where the regulations allow further use of insect protein, insect farms are being developed on a larger industrial scale.
For example, Innovafeed is one of the leading insect producers for animal feed and owns a number of insect protein production sites, including a site at Nesle, France – the largest active insect production site in the world.
At WSP, we have been working with Fera Science since 2017. Fera Science provides a leading role in research into insect bioconversion and its applications.
Fera Science partners with governments, farmers and manufacturers/retailers in order to research and develop pioneering approaches to sustainable agriculture and food security.
In Autumn 2021, Fera Science announced the construction of the Fera Insect Research Unit (IRU). The new £1m insect bioreactor will enable Fera Science to conduct research studies to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of scaling up the farming of insects.
This new facility will be the first research unit of its kind in the UK and will provide a unique opportunity to support research into the viability and safety of insect farming, waste valorisation, and sustainable proteins.
WSP, as the role of designer and project manager, has provided coordinated designs and supported the construction process for refurbishing Block 33 at Fera’s York Biotech Campus from a file storeroom to provide this dedicated research facility for insect bioconversion trials.
In addition, outside of the UK, WSP provided environmental engineering support for the development of the Black Soldier Fly Farm Demonstrator in Trinidad in collaboration with Fera Science, the UN FAO and the University of the West Indies.
The refurbishment of a University field station property into a Black Soldier Fly demonstration and research facility will allow the UN FAO and the University of the West Indies to demonstrate to local farmers that they can also establish simple Black Solider Fly farms in spare farm buildings to help provide a solution for the Caribbean’s food security concerns.
So, does the humble fly help make the future food system more circular?
The humble fly holds significant potential to transform our future food systems into more circular and sustainable models.
By leveraging the biological processes of insects, we can efficiently convert organic waste into valuable resources, such as protein-rich feed and organic fertilisers.
This not only helps in reducing waste but also contributes to a more sustainable and resilient food production system.
The integration of insect-based solutions into our food systems can address several pressing challenges, including food security, waste management, and environmental sustainability.
As we continue to explore and innovate in this field, it is crucial to support research and development, as well as to foster collaborations between industry, academia, and policymakers.
To move forward, the UK needs to begin changing regulations to allow for the use of waste as a feedstock which will create new opportunities for industrial-scale plants in the UK.
Ultimately, embracing the potential of insects as a sustainable protein can lead us towards a more circular economy, where waste is minimised, resources are optimised, and the environmental impact of food production is significantly reduced.
By doing so, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.
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