project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group

New animal feed derived from insects by exploiting agro-industrial by-products and biogas plants - Flies4Feed
Nuovi alimenti zootecnici da insetti valorizzando scarti agroindustriali e impianti biogas - Flies4Feed

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Completed | 2021 - 2023 Italy
Completed | 2021 - 2023 Italy
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Context

Europe and the Mediterranean areas in general are very far from protein self-sufficiency (both for food and for feed use). The EU imports around 13 million tonnes of crude protein annually, mainly from Brazil, Argentina and the United States (European Commission, 2018). Aiming to replace soy protein with insect protein can save around 6 billion euros. This is taking into account that insect-based feeds will be twice as cheap as soy-based feeds.
Therefore, the production of insect larvae from agri-food by-products, by exploiting the excess heat from biogas plants, could represent a profitable alternative for the supply of high quality proteins and fats, in full compliance with the dictates of the circular economy. The industrial implementation of this system would allow the creation of a new and profitable value chain for the Emilia Romagna region.

Objectives

The OG Flies4Feed aims to achieve a demonstration chain for the insects breeding, in particular Black Soldier Fly, to obtain insect flour for the production of feeds for fish and pet birds. The OG will build a prototype of a Bugs Farm to produce the insect flour in a farm with a biogas plant, for a total recovery of material and energy in a circular economy perspective. The agricultural and agro-industrial by-products, used also to produce biogas, are the growth substrate for the insects; the necessary thermal energy will be the one obtained from the biogas and in excess for the anaerobic digestion plant,  while the residual material of the insects farming may have bioenergetic and/or soil improver purposes.

Objectives

Il GO Flies4Feed intende realizzare:
a) una filiera dimostrativa per l’allevamento dell'insetto di Mosca Soldato, da cui ottenere una farina per mangimi per pesci e volatili da compagnia; 
b) un prototipo di Bugs Farm per produrre la farina da insetti presso un’Azienda Agricola con impianto di biogas, per un recupero totale di materia ed energia, in un’ottica di economia circolare. 
I sottoprodotti agricoli e agroindustriali, utilizzati anche per produrre il biogas, sono il substrato di crescita per gli insetti, l’energia termica necessaria sarà quella ottenuta dal biogas e in esubero per l’impianto, mentre il materiale residuo dagli insetti potrà avere finalità bioenergetiche e/o ammendanti.

Activities

OG activities will concern: design, construction and installation of a Bugs Farm prototype; production of young insect larvae to periodically inseminate the breeding plant; choice and feeding of agricultural and agro-industrial by-products and management of the Bugs Farm prototype; control and monitoring of the several operating parameters of the same prototype, in order to obtain a technical-economic assesment of the experimental activity; formulation tests of feeds containing insect flour and quality evaluation of the obtained feed, for the use in fish farming and ornithology; tests for the use of mixtures containing insect flour; dissemination of the results.

Activities

Le attività del GO prevedono: progettazione, realizzazione ed installazione di un prototipo di Bugs Farm; produzione di larve giovani di insetto con cui inseminare periodicamente l'impianto di allevamento; scelta ed alimentazione dei sottoprodotti agricoli ed agroindustriali e gestione del prototipo di Bugs Farm; controllo e monitoraggio dei vari parametri di funzionamento del prototipo al fine di ottenere un bilancio tecnico-economico dell’attività sperimentale; test di formulazione di mangimi contenenti la farina di insetti e valutazione della loro qualità per l’uso in itticoltura e ornitologia; prove di utilizzo di miscele contenenti farina di insetti; divulgazione dei risultati.

Project details
Main funding source
Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
Rural Development Programme
2014IT06RDRP003 Italy - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Emilia-Romagna
Location
Main geographical location
Reggio nell'Emilia
Other geographical location
Ferrara

EUR 289230.96

Total budget

Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.

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2 Practice Abstracts

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Contacts

Project coordinator

  • Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali Soc. Cons. p.A.

    Project coordinator

Project partners