Context

Monogastric animal diets require a large amount of high-protein ingredients to meet the growth requirements of chickens and pigs. Soybean meal is currently the most widely used protein source, alongside cereal protein and crystalline amino acids. In 2021, more than 38 million tonnes of monogastric feed were produced in Spain, of which soy products accounted for around 5 million tonnes. Insect farming has been proposed as a possible solution for more efficient and sustainable production of proteins for the agri-food industry, offering promising opportunities for implementing the principles of the circular bioeconomy. Insects have high growth rates and short reproduction cycles, and adapt easily to different conditions, resulting in rapid biomass accumulation and high feed conversion efficiency. In addition, certain insect species can be reared from by-products generated by the agri-food sector itself.
Moreover, fertilisation requirements for organic crops are expected to increase considerably in the coming years, given that one of the challenges in the EU, within the framework of the European Green Deal, is for 25% of the crop land to be used solely for organic farming by 2030. Thus, obtaining a fertiliser suitable for organic farming, in this case focussing on the wine industry and its specific requirements, from T. molitor larvae frass is an innovative and sustainable alternative to consider in fertilisation plans.
The project is based on the circular economy as it aims to make use of products and by-products from the livestock, wine and insect production industries.