Novel Proteins for Food and Feed

One innovation area of the Flagship Project Novel Proteins for Food and Feed focuses using black soldier fly larvae for the conversion of biowaste into potentially more sustainable and marketable high-value products, according to circular economy principles. For example, since 2020, an ongoing project in Singapore is addressing urban food waste management through the use of black soldier fly larvae. This interdisciplinary initiative is led by the National University of Singapore and the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), in collaboration with ETH Zurich and the Nanyang Technological University Singapore. SEC and ETH have established a comprehensive platform to thoroughly assess the bioconversion process of black soldier fly larvae. The platform includes specially developed respiration chambers that replicate large-scale food waste bioconversion. These chambers enable the measurement of emissions such as carbon dioxide and ammonia, as well as the monitoring of heat production and temperature profiles within the frass. These measurements, combined with standard bioconversion metrics, are used to validate the set-up and collect valuable data.

This data will be utilized to develop process control strategies that enhance bioconversion efficiency and improve the quality of the end products when dealing with variable food wastes. One key aspect of the project is its focus on variable food wastes, which naturally exhibit high variability in composition. This inherent variability often leads to inconsistent and suboptimal bioconversion efficiency, as well as variable outcomes in terms of feed and fertilizer products. By utilizing Singapore's diverse range of food wastes, the project aims to produce feed and fertilizer locally, aligning with Singapore's goals of achieving greater food self-sufficiency and becoming a zero waste nation.