The Dallas Morning News published an article on July 7, 2019 that attracted my attention for the novelty of a start-up to transform black soldier fly (BSF) into an engine to generate protein. Symton BSF is a College Station-based company owned by Lauren Taranow and it harvests larvae of BSF as commercial food for pets such as lizards, birds and hedgehogs.
However, the catch is somewhere else. These black soldier larvae can ingest any disposed, rotten materials such as cafeteria refuse, manure and even toxic algae, and produce, in exchange, significant amount of protein. The larvae of BSF harvested per acre can yield to 130,000 pounds of protein per year, compared to 40 pounds of protein per acre of ranching, or 950 pounds per acre of soybean farming, or 1,800 pounds from chickens. That's a real game-changer.
As the United Nations estimates a global population of 9.8 billion, with dwindling prediction of availability of animal-based proteins, it's imperative for the nations to come up with an alternative sources of protein to feed a record number of global population. The breeding of BSF larvae can be one avenue to find an achievable solution. However, to achieve that goal, scientists have to master on how to scale up a scientific research to a commercial level.
With per acreage yield so high, the breeding of BSF larvae will work not only as a reliable source of protein, but also as an effective tool to fight against global climate change. A 2011 U.N. study shows that rotten food emits million tons of carbon di-oxide per year, accounting for almost 7 percent of greenhouse gases. BSF larvae harvest works by ingesting the rotten food, among other ecological waste, and thus, takes out carbon footprint from the environment. The harvesting of BSF larvae holds tremendous potential in both climate change fight as well as a reliable protein source in our food supply chain.
However, the catch is somewhere else. These black soldier larvae can ingest any disposed, rotten materials such as cafeteria refuse, manure and even toxic algae, and produce, in exchange, significant amount of protein. The larvae of BSF harvested per acre can yield to 130,000 pounds of protein per year, compared to 40 pounds of protein per acre of ranching, or 950 pounds per acre of soybean farming, or 1,800 pounds from chickens. That's a real game-changer.
As the United Nations estimates a global population of 9.8 billion, with dwindling prediction of availability of animal-based proteins, it's imperative for the nations to come up with an alternative sources of protein to feed a record number of global population. The breeding of BSF larvae can be one avenue to find an achievable solution. However, to achieve that goal, scientists have to master on how to scale up a scientific research to a commercial level.
With per acreage yield so high, the breeding of BSF larvae will work not only as a reliable source of protein, but also as an effective tool to fight against global climate change. A 2011 U.N. study shows that rotten food emits million tons of carbon di-oxide per year, accounting for almost 7 percent of greenhouse gases. BSF larvae harvest works by ingesting the rotten food, among other ecological waste, and thus, takes out carbon footprint from the environment. The harvesting of BSF larvae holds tremendous potential in both climate change fight as well as a reliable protein source in our food supply chain.
