Improvement of fibre digestibility and energy retention for insects
Contact: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Cornelia Christiane Metges
Duration: 2024-2024
Funding: EU - COST Action
Abstract:
As part of a COST Action (CA20133) guest stay at Borås University of Applied Sciences, Sweden, we are investigating how fibre digestibility in and energy retention from insect feed can be improved. To this end, various substrates (e.g. wheat bran, rye plant silage) are processed in an anaerobic fermenter. The aim is to reduce the content of fibre- and lignin-rich structural carbohydrates such as hemicellulose and cellulose, to make nutrients more readily available and at the same time to bind starch and simple sugars in microbial biomass. Using the best process configuration, better quality biomass is to be produced and tested at the FBN using black soldier fly larvae with regard to larval growth, nutrient efficiency and emission reduction.