A pioneering laboratory facility has opened in York to spearhead the growth of insect bioconversion - a method of feeding insects biomass waste to turn it into animal feed products.
Fera Science has invested £1m in the 2,000 sqft conversion of a former storage unit at its Bioscience Campus site in the city. It will house research activities centred on Fera's use of black soldier fly larvae to convert biomass residues into protein-rich food.
The research and development operation is the first of its kind in the UK and is designed to help the wider food production industry to harness the technology and scale-up its usage. Fera says the step is part of a global effort to meet growing food needs.
