Environment

Is the Black Soldier Fly the Protein of the Future?

The Futaba Sankyo Corporation launched a collaborative research project on breeding the black soldier fly as feed for fish farming. Is domestication feasible?

Published

7 months ago

October 6, 2023

Hidemitsu Kaito

The adult soldier fly, photographed at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, September 22, 2023. (©JAPAN Forward by Hidemitsu Kaito)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Is the Black Soldier Fly the Protein of the Future?

The Futaba Sankyo Corporation has launched a feasibility study on the commercialization of fish feed made from the black soldier fly. Headquartered in Higashi-Hiroshima City of Hiroshima Prefecture, Futaba Sankyo's main business is fermenting food residues into compost.

The project is underway in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, the University of Human Environments (Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture), and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture).

Fish Feed Alternative

The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a species native to North America. An adult soldier fly measures approximately 2 cm in length. The insect is believed to have entered Japan after World War II and can be found all over the country, excluding Hokkaido.

The larvae grow in warm climates and feed on household food waste. They reproduce in the summer when temperatures are high. Adult flies pose no threat to humans or livestock and do not sting. Due to the amount and quality of the nutrients they contain, the larvae are used in pet foods made for reptiles and amphibians.

In recent years, research has been conducted worldwide on the usability, safety, and industrialization of black soldier fly larvae as feed in fish and poultry farming.

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about the potential uses of the black soldier fly.

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