FRANCE – Cargill has partnered with biotech company InnovaFeed to develop innovative and nutritious animal feed solutions using sustainable options such as insect protein.
The companies, which are leading players in animal nutrition will collaboratively market fish feed incorporating insect protein for sustainable aquaculture.
The partnership will leverage on InnovaFeed’s circular economy approach as it utilizes co-products from the agriculture production of starch and sugar to feed black soldier fly larvae known as Hermetia illucens.
Protein and oil extracted from the larvae are used in feed for pets, aquaculture species and young animals like broilers and piglets.
“By upcycling local cereal co-products and repurposing insect waste as an organic fertilizer, InnovaFeed’s products truly have a positive environmental impact,” said Clement Ray, chief executive officer, InnovaFeed.
“We’re also able to have a positive impact on climate change by saving 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year with each 10,000-ton-production unit by feeding insect meal to animals.
“That is equivalent to removing 14,000 cars off the roads.”
The collaboration builds on Cargill’s ‘shared purpose’- offering innovative, sustainable solutions to meet the nutritional needs of the growing population and customers.
“This partnership will not only enable our salmon and shrimp customers to differentiate their product lines to meet consumer needs, but we’ll also be responsibly managing resources, enabling both companies to support the growth of sustainable aquaculture and make a positive impact at a global scale,” said Adriano Marcon, president of Cargill’s aqua nutrition business.
InnovaFeed has developed an innovative process allowing them to produce high-quality insect meal, which can be an alternative to fishmeal used in salmon or shrimp feed.
Insects are considered to be a sustainable source of food and feed.
Feed manufacturers are looking at ways to produce innovative feed options that will support sustainable protein production and safeguard the planet as well.
Protix recently opened a new insect processing facility in the Netherlands, producing insect protein for animal feed including salmon and hens.
French agri-tech innovator, Ynsect also raised US$22.6 million funding with backing from the European Commission.
