Evonik and Nutrition Technologies, a Singapore-based manufacturer of insect-derived products, have agreed to jointly conduct a research and development project on the amino acid requirements of Black Soldier Flies (BSF) in Southeast Asia. Insects have great potential as a sustainable protein source to feed animals with lower greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water requirements than traditional livestock feed ingredients. The project aims to optimize BSF diets to maximize sustainability outcomes in livestock production while continuing to provide safe and healthy meat.
“The demand for nutritious animal protein is growing sharply in Asia”, said Shreedhar Patel, head of the Regional Platform Asia South in the Animal Nutrition business line of Evonik. “With Nutrition Technologies, we are applying our extensive animal nutrition expertise to explore the most efficient ways to incorporate alternative sources of protein into the food value chain. This should help bolster food security and availability while minimizing the use of arable land and fresh water.”
With the globally recognized knowledge of feed additives that Evonik brings to the project and the expertise in black soldier fly production from the Nutrition Technologies team, the agreement will accelerate the ability for both parties to deliver optimal BSF protein profiles to enrich animal diets. The research will take place across two locations: Nutrition Technologies’ flagship manufacturing facility in Johor, Malaysia, and Evonik’s state-of-the-art laboratories in Singapore.
“Working with the global experts at Evonik and having access to their resources is enabling us to develop our understanding of the BSF nutritional requirements at an incredible rate – this will help us unlock a whole raft of new raw materials, which is the key to expansion in this industry,” said Nick Piggott, founder and co-CEO of Nutrition Technologies.
The project, which is scheduled to last two years, is already in place, developing protocols and trial regimes. Initial findings are expected to be implemented by the end of 2022.
