Sustainably Extracted Agri-Food Waste as a Diet Ingredient for Production of Black Soldier Fly Larvae

This project seeks to add value to agri-food waste by extracting natural chemicals from the waste for use in new crop protection applications and then using the leftover material as a diet ingredient for producing black solider fly larvae. Multiple products can be obtained from black solider fly larvae including fertilizer, protein and oil. The objectives of this project are to optimize the sustainable extraction of bioactive natural chemicals from agri-food waste, to determine the best larval diet using post-extracted agri-food waste as an ingredient and to pilot an automated unit for growing and harvesting the larvae. Finding new uses for agri-food waste is an important step in improving the sustainability of food production. This benefits the long-term success of our partners, George Weston Ltd and Cerca Trova, and also delivers social and environmental benefits which directly support our future well-being and the health of the planet.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rob Nicol

Student:

Partner:

Cerca Trova;George Weston

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

University:

Lambton College

Program: