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Italian company specialized in insect flour production is looking for partners under research and development agreement

Country of Origin: Italy
Reference Number: TRIT20190211001
Publication Date: 11 February 2019

Summary

Italian company based in northern Italy close to the city of Milan, wants to scale-up the production of grasshoppers flour used in pet food. The company is looking for industrial partners with knowledge in the field of animal proteins to help in the automatization process. Research cooperation agreement is sought after but other types of partnerships can be discussed.

Description

The company is specialized in the production of insect flour and wants to automatize grasshopper farms designed to make insect a sustainable source of protein for the future. The aim of the company is to create a closed system to raise grasshoppers to be transformed into flour for animal feed. The flour can then be part of other products to increase protein quantity. The insect that will be used is the locusta gregaria. Mineral and proteic values of crickets and grasshoppers are similar, but what differs is the different taste. Following crickets farms, the company wants to set up a similar methor of producing end product (flour). Nowadays grasshoppers are raised in small farms only, due to energy costs and low survival rate. The process the company will follow is the following: drainage - harvesting and washing – pasteurization - drying or freezing – shredding - packaging.

The first part of the development will be based on the search for a model of intensive grasshoppers' breeding that allows the achievement of an intensive production. The research will focus on the most efficient heating and ventilation system for the development and reproduction of the grasshopper. The second part of the project will focus on the production of locust flour through a production process that allows to obtain a certifiable product at national level.

The company is looking for industrial partners to help in the scale-up process under a research and cooperation agreement. The ideal patner has experience in the food industry and is able to use protein flour for the production of food products.
The ideal patner is also able to identify in which preparations the locust flour can be used as a nutritive and substitutive component in traditional preparations.

Expertise sought

The patner must have previous knowledge about transformation of insect to eatible flour and be able to identify in which preparations the locust flour can be used as a nutritive and substitutive component in traditional preparations.

Requested partner

The company is looking for a patner interested in developing a large scale grasshoppers farm for both pet food and human consumption
The ideal partner has previous knowledge in insect food industry and is able to identify in which preparations the locust flour can be used as a nutritive and substitutive component in traditional preparations.
The company is also interested in establishing a possible partnership to submit a proposal for a H2020 call.
Type of partnership considered: research cooperation.

Cooperation offer is closed for requests