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A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Development of a Supply Chain in Biomass Conversion of Agrifood Waste Mediated by Larvae of Hermetia illucens L.: From Rearing to By-Product Exploitation

Author

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  • Eleonora De Santis

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
    Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy)

  • Alberto de Iudicibus

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
    Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Via C. G. Bertero 22, 00156 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesca Lecce

    (Department of Sustainability, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy)

  • Massimiliano De Mei

    (Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy)

  • Francesco Petrazzuolo

    (Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy)

  • Angelo Del Giudice

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Monica Carnevale

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Francesco Gallucci

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Claudio Beni

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Alberto Assirelli

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Enrico Santangelo

    (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Silvia Arnone

    (Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy)

Abstract

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert various organic substrates into high added-value biomass. In addition, the residue can be used as a soil conditioner. Several studies have been conducted on a laboratory scale that may not represent what happens on a prototype scale. Using fruit and vegetable waste as a basic substrate, mixing them with agro-industry by-products (called co-substrates), the Hermes project set up a process on medium (2 kg) and large (10 kg) scales with two different feeding regimes (1.25 g/BSFL and 2 g/BSFL). At the mature stage, larval biomass was separated from frass (the by-product of the larval rearing). The production of larval proteins and fats and the use of frass as soil conditioning were evaluated. The lowest feeding regime (1.25 g/BSFL) provided the best waste valorization. The shift towards higher production scales is not completely linear. The addition of co-substrates to fruit and vegetable waste, as they are provided by the large-scale retail trade, can help to standardize a process as part of an insect farm. The frass recovered from the residue of rearing (on the diet or on the agrifood leftovers) was composted and used in field to grow a processing tomato variety. The addition of composted frass assured a slightly lower yield than synthetic fertilizer but there was no statistically significant difference ( p > 0.10). This suggests that partial replacement of synthetic fertilizer with composted frass has potential. Overall, the work demonstrated that, using a multidisciplinary approach, the interest and the value in building a supply chain based on bioconversion mediated by Hermetia illucens can be emphasized.

Suggested Citation

  • Eleonora De Santis & Alberto de Iudicibus & Francesca Lecce & Massimiliano De Mei & Francesco Petrazzuolo & Angelo Del Giudice & Monica Carnevale & Francesco Gallucci & Claudio Beni & Alberto Assirell, 2024. "A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Development of a Supply Chain in Biomass Conversion of Agrifood Waste Mediated by Larvae of Hermetia illucens L.: From Rearing to By-Product Exploitation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-25, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:7:p:1010-:d:1422828
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marco Bascietto & Enrico Santangelo & Claudio Beni, 2021. "Spatial Variations of Vegetation Index from Remote Sensing Linked to Soil Colloidal Status," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, January.
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