This idea came about eight years. It evolved from a project to develop biodiesel. My colleagues and

Brazil News Subscribe SEE SEE Science Economics Education Sport Entertainment Digital World Health Infographics Life Lists See SP Themes Subscribe SEE SEE Trial monthly allowance Port Operation Safe CPI Waterfall Top Apps The weight of taxes SP See All Videos and Pictures Subscribe Videos floss SEE Photo Gallery Video Gallery Infographics See SP Blogs and Columnists Subscribe SEE Reinaldo Azevedo Garden Lauro Augusto Nunes Paula Fernanda Setti Furquim Ricardo Neiva All columnists See SP
Disclosure
Insects are foods rich in protein and minerals, low cost, abundant and - some guarantees - even delicious. In August this year, the United Nations (UN) launched a program encouraging the creation and consumption of these animals. It said this would be an effective way to combat hunger. But just the idea of a cricket nibbling cause revulsion in many people, especially in Western countries. To the American engineer Glen Courtright, however, you can use the insects as weapon against world hunger, without having to modify the food menu. Courtright is the creator of a project that produces food for fish, shrimp and pigs using maggots as the primary floss ingredient - and, to boot, still helps reduce the volume of industrial leftovers. To reinvent the usefulness of insects, the American created EnviroFlight, a company located in Ohio, USA, which produces and sells what they call "insect meal" ("meal floss of insects" in free translation). The product is made with dehydrated larvae of black soldier fly called flight (something like "black soldier fly", the scientific name Hermetia floss illucens). In general, the supply chain is quite simple: industrial and larvae floss eat when "ready" waste, saw ration of animals who are raised for human consumption - like fish and pigs.
Reuse - Flies black soldiers were chosen for the contract because their larvae are numerous, large and rich in fat and protein. "They are also great to regain that usually waste or worth very little floss cost," says Courtright, in an interview with SEE site. Between what is used to feed the larvae are small pieces of chicken left over from industries that make nuggets, leftovers of bread and biscuit factories, and production of ethanol - which in the case of the United States, is made with corn. Leftover fish processing, as head, tail, skin and viscera, floss and fat and carbohydrates left over from brewing floss beer are also used.
After spending the time getting fatter, the larvae are played floss in very hot water or steam - for a quick death - and go for an industrial oven. When they come out of the oven, where they are dried, they are mixed with ingredients such as soy, corn, vitamins and mining, and become food for animals, especially pigs and fish. This "meal of insects" replaces floss some foods such as offal of cows, which are often used in the rations. "It's cleaner and has more protein," says Courtright.
Project - The proposal EnviroFlight arose from a concern floss with both the amount of waste produced in the world and with the food supply. "Within 20 years, the situation may be untenable. Not that it would happen in Brazil or the United States, because they are two countries with strong agriculture. The problem floss will be greatest floss in Africa and Asia, "said floss Courtright.
Currently, the company produces about a ton of "meal of insects" every two days. The goal is to reach 1,000 tons per year, while maintaining a competitive price with other types of products used for animal feed, such as fish meal - made from offal, heads, bones and remains of fish processing.
The Enviroflight is preparing to produce on a large scale. Among the plans for the future, is a deployment project in Europe floss and others in the United floss States. But before that, the ordeal of the FDA, the American agency responsible floss for the control of food and medicinal products is necessary. So far, the product is marketed only with state approval, and under the classification of "Generally Recognized As Safe". "The main point is that we are not using spoiled leftovers, but remains of food production," says Courtright.
This idea came about eight years. It evolved from a project to develop biodiesel. My colleagues and I were building a system of biodiesel in Ohio and realized it would be difficult to get raw materials, floss the oils needed to produce a significant amount floss of fuel without government subsidies. So we canceled the initiative of biodiesel, we took a step back and try to figure out what produces oil in nature at higher concentrations per hectare, compared to soybeans or canola or animal fat, and pe