TY - BOOK

T1 - Development of a plant model for the production of alternative organic protein

AU - Himler, Lukas

N1 - embargoed until 19-05-2026

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The increasing world population, the misuse of land and water as well as the rise of organic waste deplete our natural resources. Besides that, the intensive global meat and animal protein consumption leads to a shortage in animal feed protein supply. Subsequently, the safety of food and feed provision becomes increasingly important and new approaches in terms of protein supply are necessary. One promising approach is the use of insects which has already entered its industrialisation stage and offers several sustainable options in terms of waste management, nutrient recycling, circular economy and especially alternative protein supply. An industrial insect protein production facility consists of multiple stages such as substrate preparation, insect rearing and breeding, harvesting as well as a processing plant. The possibilities in terms of feedstock reach from pre- and post-consumer food wastes, by-products from food and feed industry, remaining agricultural side streams as well as sludge, manure, human faeces and others. The present investigation focuses on the balancing of a generic insect protein process and provides a profound technical and financial analysis, based on several months of pilot operation at an industrial insect protein facility, literature and average industry values. The result has been the dynamic and independent calculation model “InsectProteinModel”. The consideration utilizes the specific biology of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) that is fed on a substrate based on mixed organic waste as input material. The simulation model has shown that when considering an average wet bioconversion of 20% approx. 2.3% of insect protein powder, approx. 1% of insect oil and about 12% of frass are produced, based on 100% mixed organic waste as input material. In terms of energy supply, the model resulted in a specific energy demand of approx. 7 kWh for heating and approx. 2.7 kWh for cooling, both per kg insect protein production per day when considering a plant availability of 350 days/a with a location based in central Europe. Taking the financial perspective into account, the larvae`s moisture content, the wet bioconversion as well as the plant size, among 12 different factors analysed, have indicated the highest influences in terms of sensitivity of insect protein production costs. The general outcome of this model points out that the large-scale insect protein technology can be proven financially and technically feasible but requires a very detailed consideration for the specific plant parameters chosen for the individual setup.

AB - The increasing world population, the misuse of land and water as well as the rise of organic waste deplete our natural resources. Besides that, the intensive global meat and animal protein consumption leads to a shortage in animal feed protein supply. Subsequently, the safety of food and feed provision becomes increasingly important and new approaches in terms of protein supply are necessary. One promising approach is the use of insects which has already entered its industrialisation stage and offers several sustainable options in terms of waste management, nutrient recycling, circular economy and especially alternative protein supply. An industrial insect protein production facility consists of multiple stages such as substrate preparation, insect rearing and breeding, harvesting as well as a processing plant. The possibilities in terms of feedstock reach from pre- and post-consumer food wastes, by-products from food and feed industry, remaining agricultural side streams as well as sludge, manure, human faeces and others. The present investigation focuses on the balancing of a generic insect protein process and provides a profound technical and financial analysis, based on several months of pilot operation at an industrial insect protein facility, literature and average industry values. The result has been the dynamic and independent calculation model “InsectProteinModel”. The consideration utilizes the specific biology of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) that is fed on a substrate based on mixed organic waste as input material. The simulation model has shown that when considering an average wet bioconversion of 20% approx. 2.3% of insect protein powder, approx. 1% of insect oil and about 12% of frass are produced, based on 100% mixed organic waste as input material. In terms of energy supply, the model resulted in a specific energy demand of approx. 7 kWh for heating and approx. 2.7 kWh for cooling, both per kg insect protein production per day when considering a plant availability of 350 days/a with a location based in central Europe. Taking the financial perspective into account, the larvae`s moisture content, the wet bioconversion as well as the plant size, among 12 different factors analysed, have indicated the highest influences in terms of sensitivity of insect protein production costs. The general outcome of this model points out that the large-scale insect protein technology can be proven financially and technically feasible but requires a very detailed consideration for the specific plant parameters chosen for the individual setup.

KW - Abfallverwertung

KW - nachhaltiges Protein

KW - Nährstoffrecycling

KW - Anlagenmodell

KW - waste management

KW - sustainable protein

KW - nutrient recycling

KW - plant model

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

ER -