Valorisation of Organic Waste By-Products Using Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia illucens ) as a Bio-Convertor

Kieran Magee, Joe Halstead, Richard Small and Iain Young
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Kieran Magee: Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L1 8JX, UK
Joe Halstead: AgriGrub Ltd., NIAB Innovation Hub, Hasse Road, Soham, Cambridgeshire CB7 5UW, UK
Richard Small: Inspro Ltd. Brook House, Mead Road, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7BG, UK
Iain Young: Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L1 8JX, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: One third of food produced globally is wasted. Disposal of this waste is costly and is an example of poor resource management in the face of elevated environmental concerns and increasing food demand. Providing this waste as feedstock for black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens ) larvae (BSFL) has the potential for bio-conversion and valorisation by production of useful feed materials and fertilisers. We raised BSFL under optimal conditions (28 °C and 70% relative humidity) on seven UK pre-consumer food waste-stream materials: fish trimmings, sugar-beet pulp, bakery waste, fruit and vegetable waste, cheese waste, fish feed waste and brewer’s grains and yeast. The nutritional quality of the resulting BSFL meals and frass fertiliser were then analysed. In all cases, the volume of waste was reduced (37–79%) and meals containing high quality protein and lipid sources (44.1 ± 4.57% and 35.4 ± 4.12%, respectively) and frass with an NPK of 4.9-2.6-1.7 were produced. This shows the potential value of BSFL as a bio-convertor for the effective management of food waste.

Keywords: black soldier fly larvae; Hermetia illucens; bio-convertor; nutrient recovery; aquaculture feed; organic waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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