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Daniel Ambühl, a Swiss entomologist, studies the farming and use of edible insects. In a project with Professor Jürg Grunder of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), he is attempting to determine the best conditions for breeding four different species of beetle. For that, he uses instruments developed by METTLER TOLEDO.
What will we be eating tomorrow? Population growth and climate change pose a major challenge for global food supply. Daniel Ambühl, a Swiss entomologist, is convinced that in the future, our diets will also contain insects. Together with Professor Jürg Grunder of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), he has initiated a project known as "Food from Wood". The goal of this initiative is to breed edible insects that eat wood.
"Our idea is not to use staple foods such as soy or cereals to produce high-quality animal proteins, but rather wood waste so as not to enter into competition for food with humans," Daniel Ambühl explains. Ambühl and Grunder began exploring this concept in depth in 2013. In their lab, they use wood waste to feed the larvae of four different species of beetle. They first ferment wood and plant parts into a substrate that serves to sustain the beetle larvae. In large boxes filled with the substrate, the larvae mature to the desired size. "The larvae become edible shortly before their pupation*," Daniel Ambühl explains. In this stage, the insects' digestive tracts are empty; that way, they do not contain wood, which humans cannot digest.
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Daniel Ambühl uses a METTLER TOLEDO moisture analyzer to make sure that the food substrate has an optimum moisture content.
"For our experiments, it is extremely important to know the exact moisture content" Ambühl says. "Although the larvae do like a humid environment, the substrate should not be too moist for them to process."
The moisture analyzer allows the scientist to quickly and easily determine the moisture content of the substrate and thus ensure an optimum level. In addition, they also use a METTLER TOLEDO scale to weigh the larvae in their various stages of development. Both pieces of equipment help them to successfully implement their project.
A better carbon footprint
In addition to studying breeding conditions, the two scientists also strive to have the larvae approved as a food source. While eating insects is normal in some regions of the globe, Ambühl has found that some in the Western world are still resistant to the notion. However, he firmly believes that eating habits can change over time. In that, he is supported by a report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO emphasizes the importance of insects as a sustainable source of protein against the backdrop of rapid population growth. Compared to cattle, pig and sheep farms, breeding insects not only requires less space, insect farming also has a smaller ecological footprint, as insects require less food than conventional livestock to produce the same amount of protein. Additionally, they produce smaller amounts of harmful greenhouse gases.
"We know that despite all that, we still have a ways to go before our larvae are approved as a food source," says Daniel Ambühl. As an alternative use, the research team could imagine re-purposing their insects as feed for chickens or fish. Primarily, however, Ambühl wants to use his research to contribute to feeding the growing world population.
* Pupation is the metamorphosis of some insects between immature and mature stages.
