The (im)possible standardization of experiments on insects as feed: a case study of the BSF

Results presented atInsect to Feed the World, Canada Giugno 2022”

Partner: D. Deruytter¹, L. Gasco², A. Gligorescu³, W. Yakti⁴, C.L. Coudron¹, M. Meneguz⁵, F. Grosso⁵, M. Shumo⁶, L. Frooninckx⁷, I. Noyens⁷, S. Bellezza Oddon², I. Biasato², T. Spranghers⁸, D.G.A.B. Oonincx⁹, G. Vandenberg¹⁰ and G. Bosch⁹

¹Inagro, Ieperseweg 87, Rumbeke-Beitem, Belgium, ²University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Italy, ³Danish Technological Institute, kongsvang Allé 29, Aarhus, Denmark, ⁴Humboldt University of Berlin, Lentze allee 55/57, Berlin,

Germany, ⁵BEF biosystems s.r.l., Via Tancredi Canonico 18/c, Torino, Italy, ⁶Hermetia Baruth GmbH, An der Birkenpfuhlheide 10, Baruth/Mark, Germany, ⁷Thomas More, Kleinhoefstraat 4, Geel, Belgium, ⁸Vives, Wilgenstraat 32, Roeselare, Belgium,

⁹Wageningen Universiteit & Research, De Elst 1, Wageningen, the Netherlands, ¹⁰Université Laval, rue de l’Agriculture 2425,

Québec, Canada;

Person of interest: David Deruytter, researcher at Inagro Center:https://inagro.be/projecten/petsect

Laura Gasco, full professor at the University of Turin: https://www.stal.unito.it/do/docenti.pl/Alias?laura.gasco#tab-profilo

Anton Gligorescu, PhD student at Aarus University: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/angl@bio.au.dk

Wael Yakti, researcher at the

https://www.agrar.hu-berlin.de/en/institut-en/departments/dntw-en/oekophysiologie-en/team-en/wy

Lotte Frooninckx, researcher at Thomas More:

https://radius.thomasmore.be/team.html

D.G.A.B. Oonincx, researcher at Wageningen University:

https://www.wur.nl/en/persons/dennis-dr.ir.ing.-dgab-dennis-oonincx.htm

Grant Vandenberg, professor at Laval University

https://ieds.ulaval.ca/membres/membres-chercheurs/afficher_personne/details/vandenberg-grant/

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

Summary

Repeatability and reproducibility of experiments is one of the foundations of science. This implies that all necessary information is described and experimental procedures are standardized. This is why there are countless protocols that guarantee repeatable and reproducible results for chemical analysis, ecotoxicology, physics, etc.

The field of insects for food and feed is young and the number of publications is growing. For example, there is much interest in using the black soldier fly to convert low-value biomass into high-quality feed. However, there are almost as many experimental protocols as there are papers, which prevents direct comparison of results. An international alliance was formed with partners from EAAP, SUSINCHAIN and OECD to discuss for the first time the possibilities of standardization and create an experimental feed protocol. This protocol was validated by 9 partners for 3 feeds in a ring test.

The entire process and results of the ring test were a revelation. The results reveal the expected variation within an experiment for different parameters (e.g., growth and yield) and what to expect when comparing results between laboratories or publications. By combining this information with recently published information (e.g., BSF genetic diversity), we now have a better understanding of what is possible, what parameters are important (or not). What can and will go wrong? What information is critical for any publication? What can be improved in the future?