No Bug Left Behind: Developing Non-Destructive Methodologies for Phenotyping Insects

由于人口增长，畜牧业和水产养殖业对蛋白质的需求正在增加，但目前的生产依赖于不可持续的大豆和鱼粉进口。昆虫饲料是一个迅速崛起的市场。它由全球55家以上的生产商组成。我们的市场规模计算预测，到2025年，全球将有300个生产设施，每个生产设施的产能为10，000吨昆虫蛋白/年，销售价格为700英镑/吨，收入为21亿英镑/年。该项目将开发一种非破坏性测量方法，以选择黑蝇幼虫中的商业相关性状，以改善Beta Bugs现有的基因库。我们将与NPL的农业技术团队合作，他们拥有为农业技术领域开发非破坏性方法的经验。由于人口增长，畜牧业和水产养殖业的蛋白质需求正在增加，但目前的生产依赖于不稳定和不可持续的大豆和鱼粉进口。用于牲畜和水产养殖饲料的蛋白质的替代来源是昆虫，其在全球范围内的重要性正在迅速增长。今天，在英国、欧洲、美洲和亚洲有55个以上的黑蝇生产商。根据市场预测，到2025年，全球将有300个生产设施，年生产能力为10，000吨昆虫蛋白，年收入为21亿英镑。在蛋白质水平上，黑水虻生产商无法与鱼粉（一种关键的水产饲料成分）竞争。因此，他们不得不在价格上与大豆蛋白和大豆浓缩蛋白竞争。通过开发这种非破坏性的方法，Beta Bugs将能够改善其基因库，选择一种将改善昆虫粉质量的特性。这将改善Beta Bugs的产品供应，使其能够在快速增长的“昆虫饲料”领域占据重要的市场份额。

Livestock and aquaculture protein demand is increasing due to human population growth, yet current production depends on unsustainable soy and fishmeal imports. Insects-as-feed is a rapidly emerging market. It comprises of 55+ producers globally. Our market sizing calculations predict 300 production facilities worldwide by 2025, each with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes of insect protein/year selling at £700/tonne, giving revenues of £2.1B/yr.This project will develop a non-destructive measuring approach to select a commercially relevant trait within black-soldier-fly larvae to improve Beta Bugs' existing genestock. We will do this in partnership with NPL's Agri-Tech team, who have experience of developing non-destructive methodologies for the agri-tech sector.Livestock and aquaculture protein demand is increasing due to human population growth, yet current production depends on volatile and unsustainable soy and fishmeal imports. An alternative source of protein for livestock and aquaculture feed are insects, which are rapidly growing in importance globally. Today there are 55+ black-soldier-fly producers in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia. Market calculations predict 300 production facilities worldwide by 2025, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes of insect protein/yr and £2.1B/yr revenue.Black-soldier-fly producers are not able to compete with fishmeal, a key aqua-feed ingredient, on protein level. As a result, they have to compete with soy protein and soy-protein-concentrate on price point. By developing this non-destructive approach Beta Bugs will be able to improve its genestock, selecting for a trait that will improve the insect-meal quality. This will improve Beta Bugs' product offering, enabling it to capture significant market share of the rapidly growing "Insects-as-feed" sector.