Objective:
Developing a suitable rearing space for insect breeding, which focuses on a circular economy by reducing greenhouse gasses emissions, and carbon footprint equipped with software that fully optimizes the ecological parameters.
Background:
The global need for protein will increase by 70% in the next two decades. Most of the current sources of protein used in the food and feed industry are not considered sustainable, and some of them are leaving significant marks on Earth's climate. Various species of insects are considered to be a perfect fit. Our mission aims to offer a complete solution by developing a modulable rearing space along with software capable of coping with the optimization of the most challenging environmental parameters.
Why Insects?
Insects are considered to be mini-livestock of the 21st century, and there are many reasons why they have this status. Rearing insects fit the vrtical farming perfectly. The most popular insect species are reared in trays, which can be stacked, and in the same area, you can produce up to 50 times more protein compared to the traditional sources.
Their biological life cycle lasts from 30 to 110 days, depending on the chosen species. The most common cultivated insect species belong to two orders: flies and beetles. Black soldier fly, often called "eco hero," is a species that can use various agricultural sidestreams as food, converting it to high-quality fertilizer and larvae, which are later processed in animal feed. Yellow mealworm species suitable both for human and animal consumption use milling side streams and transfer it to high-quality protein, fat boosted with various macro and micronutrients.
Are insects a nutritionally suitable option as an alternative source of protein?
Protein content in traditional sources varies up to 70%, and insects are worthy candidates. The protein content varies from 35 to 50% in flies but in mealworms it can be up to 65% when reared on suitable feed. Our software will help you with the recommendations for choosing the optimal feed, its nutritional profile, and, as a final output, the complete nutritional profile of reared insects.
What is an insect footprint on an ecosystem?
Air pollution, greenhouse gasses, and hyperproduction of waste are the top culprits that are affecting Earth's equilibrium. Insect deals with this problem on multiple levels: they use biowaste as a food source, thus preventing excess food from ending up in landfills and reducing air and soil pollution. During their life cycle they emit much less ammonia, carbon dioxide and other harmful gasses compared to traditional animal husbandry. The software will provide comprehensive real-time reports related to the emission of the most important greenhouse gases during the rearing cycle.
Where can insects be used?
Insect meals are suitable candidates for industries where protein usage is intensive. Poultry, swine and fish farming are using fish meals, various soybean products which can be successfully replaced with insect meals. Our animal feed formulation software AFOS is recognizing insect meals as a high energy protein source and enabling users to fully optimize their feed formula containing insect meals.
Are insects only the protein source?
Insects pose as a supersource of various active compounds. Except for protein, insects' bodies contain a high percentage of fat rich in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Oleic acid, which is often present in olive and canola oil, is one of the main unsaturated fatty acids in insect meals. Linoleic, omega-6 fatty acid is found in high percentage in larvae of Black Soldier Fly, making this insect a suitable candidate for supplying the pharma and cosmetics industry with this valuable component. Peptides found in edible insect species can act as an antioxidative component in animal feed and an antimicrobial additive in the pet industry.
Technical Solution
This is a modular system and can fit any requirements. It consists of a specially designed rearing space equipped with a sensor grid, additional heat and humidity sources, and a ventilation system connected to a computer.
The rearing space is well built, and during construction, we have real-time fluctuations of temperature and relative humidity, a food source moisture sensor, and the use of high-quality materials, which ensure good insulation and the overall well-being of insects during the rearing process.
Our model consists of two environmental sensors tracking the carbon dioxide emissions sensor.
Our software collects the data every 15 sec from the software grid and sends it to the computer through the cloud, enabling you to detail analytics of your environmental conditions.
Tailoring the right climate conditions inside the rearing space is the key element that is making our software stand out.
The sensor grid will detect the irregularities in temperature and humidity and send a signal to software whose output will turn on additional equipment in order to correct them and fulfill the climate optimal for selected insect species.
