Insects to turn food waste into animal feed

A new technology has been developed that turns food waste into insect protein for farmers to feed their livestock – all powered by AI

Cambridge-based business Better Origin has developed a product that it claims uses insects to ‘naturally convert’ food waste into animal feed.

Although it claims the conversion to be natural, the technology harnesses the power of AI and is fully autonomous. The product functions by feeding the food waste to insects, which are then used by farmers to feed their livestock.

The human population is forecast to surpass nine billion by 2050, with food production needing to increase by 70% to increase demand. Better Origin argues that its solution to food waste promotes a circular food system; with waste being consumed by insects to then feed animals, increasing the food supply to humans in a sustainable way.

It has also stated its AI tech prevents the need to import animal feed and will help the agriculture sector reach net zero.

Founder Fotis Fotiadis commented: “Humans are terrible at dealing with waste while nature does it perfectly.

“Food waste is one of the biggest problems facing mankind today. Not only are we wasting the resources that have gone into creating the food but also continuously filling up landfill sites, contributing to more emissions and exacerbating climate change.

“We are fixing the food system by bringing it back to its origins. We focus on a local supply chain. Our goal is to help build a food system that is circular and resilient in times of change.

“We can have insects all around the world, addressing food waste locally. They will improve the lives of animals and make the future of food more sustainable. Our technology is on the path to becoming the mark of best practice within the food industry. We are working with farmers, retailers and food producers to roll out this solution, with the aim to help secure the future of food.”

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