Bühler opens Insect Technology Center
Uzwil - Bühler has brought together expertise and infrastructure for efficient insect production at the new Insect Technology Center (ITC) in Uzwil in the canton of St Gallen. The ITC has obtained funding from Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment for its contribution to a more sustainable food system.
Bühler has opened its new Insect Technology Center (ITC) at its headquarters in Uzwil, as was announced in a press release. Customers from the insect industry will find the necessary infrastructure for researching larvae growth at the ITC. Two mobile insect growth chambers allow them to conduct trials with various feedstock, develop product samples, evaluate breed solutions and run training.
Industrial production conditions can be mimicked in these chambers. They have a sophisticated climate control system and are equipped with numerous sensors that give valuable process insights into the larvae growth cycle of black soldier flies and mealworms, the two most relevant insect species for industrial production. Based on the collected data, the right parameters and practices can be determined for efficient insect production at industrial scale.
According to the press release, “seeing the industrial insect technology in action makes it tangible, which allows customers to directly envision commercially attractive plant sizes”. This will help reduce the overall time from the project idea to a successful industrial insect plant. Andreas Baumann, Head of Market Segment Insect Technology at Bühler, explains that the new test facility means customers might not need to invest into expensive pilot plants to demonstrate technological feasibility.
Bühler states its commitment to ambitious targets that will help mitigate climate change. Insect production is an area of great potential for building a more sustainable food system. Insects are reportedly “a healthy and sustainable source of protein for food and feed” In addition, their frass can be used as a fertilizer, contributing to a circular economy model of production. The ITC has received funding from Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).