The Immunology and Stress Laboratory of Aquatic Organisms at Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), led by Dr. Alex Romero, Associate Researcher of the “Animal Health in Marine Environment” line at the Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), has initiated a collaboration with the biotechnological startup “Infood Protein”, which specializes in the production of meal and oil from black soldier fly larvae in the city of Valdivia. Dr. Romero explained that “the objective of this collaboration is to characterize the effect of including these additives in fish, both in vitro and in vivo, not only as a protein source, but also as a functional additive that can have beneficial effects on intestinal health and functionality”.
The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is an insect native to tropical regions. It is recognized for its larvae, which efficiently consume organic waste in a rapid, safe, and scalable manner. These larvae can be transformed into high protein insect meal that has the potential to address the nutritional requirements of animals, including farmed fish like trout and salmon. Neudo Buelvas, one of the founders of Infood Protein, emphasizes the progress made by the company in terms of product production and scalability, as well as the continuous exploration of new benefits through collaborations such as the one with Dr. Alex Romero. These advancements could enhance fish health by leveraging the diverse biomolecules produced by black soldier fly larvae.
