Black soldier fly: Revolution in waste recycling and stock exchange!

Black soldier fly: Revolution in waste recycling and stock exchange!

When it comes to the future of food production, more and more companies are relying on innovative approaches. A particularly promising example comes from the FH Oberösterreich and the start-up reploid. The two partners have been working successfully in the area of ​​sustainable waste recycling since 2021, and the black soldier fly (Hermetia Illucens) has emerged as a key figure. A major research cooperation with industrial scope has emerged from a student project on the Wels campus.

The cooperation is not only supported by the FFG, but is now also part of the Comet competence center FFOQSI. Reploid, which specializes in the breeding and recycling of soldier fly larvae, employs around 60 employees and is planning an initial public offering (IPO) on the Wiener Stock Exchange for the current year. The modular_ systems from Reploid for industrial insect breeding are already celebrated as a solution for the circular economy.

sustainable waste recycling with insects

As part of the breeding, up to 40 tons of organic residues can be processed every day per production system. This creates around 2,000 tons of fresh larvae every year and just as much organic fertilizer. The black soldier fly larvae effectively use food residues and deliver different products that are used in agriculture. Research on the Wels campus has a clear focus: the optimization of the larval breeding and the characterization of the substrates used.

But the innovative breeding of these flying not only has advantages for waste recycling, but also the potential to revolutionize animal feed production. Over the entire value chain, the use of black soldier flying larvae is viewed as high -quality protein feed. Especially in animal husbandry, they could increasingly replace traditional feed such as fish flour and soy. Due to overfishing and the associated high CO2 emissions, these feed brings with them a number of ecological disadvantages. The larvae, on the other hand, are able to convert organic waste into high -quality nutrients.

The role of insects in the global context

The requirements for food production are increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries. According to [DLG.ORG] (https://www.dlg.org/magazin/insekten-als- Alternative protein source), insects such as the BSF can contribute cost-effective to close the protein gap. The potential is enormous: in Germany there are over 11 million tons of food waste in Germany, which could be used as food for insects. The larvae reach a protein content of 40 to 47 percent in the dry matter, which can be used wonderfully as protein -containing ingredients in cat food or feed for pigs and poultry.

The reservations in the population towards insects as food or food are available, but the clarification could remedy the situation here. Insect breeding is already widespread in countries such as Thailand and Uganda, while dealing with insects in France as a source of food already causes fewer fear of contact.

A look into the future

What the future of insect breeding looks like shows examples such as the enormously bio factory in Denmark, the largest insect farm in Northern Europe. The latest technologies are used here for rearing and processing soldier flying larvae. These developments and the commitment of companies such as Reploid could lead to the black soldier fly soon playing a major role in food production.

Overall, it is clear: the black soldier fly brings a breath of fresh air to the circular economy and the sustainable feed production. The constant knowledge transfer between the university and the company shows which place innovation can take in agriculture and what opportunities this result.