Evaluation of chitin extraction by a green method from exuviae and imago matrix from black soldier fly breeding

Results presented at: Insect to Feed the World, Canada June 2022

Evaluation of chitin extraction with a green method from exuviae and imago matrix from black soldier fly breeding

Partner: M. Meneguz¹, F. Grosso¹, G. Colombo Dugoni² and M. Ferro²

¹BEF Biosystems, via Tancredi Canonico 18, 10156 Torino, Italy, ²Politecnico di Milano, PROGETTO ‘Bi-rex’, via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano,

Person of interest: Greta Colombo Dugoni: linkedin.com/in/greta-colombo-dugoni-phd-539865137

Link to download pdf with results (S131): https://doi.org/10.3920/jiff2022.s1

Summary:

In 2015, global chitin production reached 28,000 tons, while demand was around 60,000 tons. In addition, the market value of chitosan was estimated to be around $1,205 million in 2015, with a growth rate of 15.4 percent. It will reach $6.38 in 2024. In this scenario, exploiting new sources of chitin may be attractive to the market. The exoskeleton of insects is rich in chitin. The insect industry has grown in the past 10 years. The importance of the sector lies in the possibility of recovering many wastes and by-products and bioconverting them into new products. The main markets related to the insect sector are the use of insects as feed, as food, and in the production of biomaterials. As for the insect sector, by-products from the reproduction of some species can be exploited for the production of chitin. The black soldier fly (BSF) is one of the most promising species, and exuviae (BSFE) and imago (BSFI) from the breeding room are among the most profitable for chitin extraction. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of extracting chitin from BSFE and BSFI using a newgreen technique with low environmental impact. An innovative patented process was used for the extraction of chitin from BSFE and BSFI. The key point is the application of DES (an acronym for deep eutectic solvent), a new class of green solvents reported in the literature. The reaction conditions are mild (room temperature and short times). Chitin is recovered by simple filtration. 1 kg of dried exuviae (9 wt% moisture) yields 300 g of technical grade chitin. BSFE and BSFI are good products that can be exploited for chitin extraction and chitosan production. The market is still in its early stages, but with the increase in BSF production, the availability of chitin will soon reach tons of by-products that can be exploited for environmentally friendly chitin production.