In the mentioned UNEP report, Malaysia was identified as the worst global per capita offender in terms of food waste. The report shared that Malaysians waste an astounding 8.3 million metric tonnes of food annually, with each individual contributing 259.82kg to this alarming statistic. Yet, according to the 2022 Global Hunger Index, Malaysia has the dubious distinction of ranking 58th out of 121 countries. We waste food when we still have communities that do not have enough to eat.

Our country is at a critical juncture, and we urgently need to tackle these fundamental problems of food waste, hunger, and food security. Through research and relevant projects, Taylor’s University’s Food Security and Nutrition Impact Lab (“FoSN IL”) aspires to contribute real solutions to these national issues that Malaysia is struggling with.

To address the problem of national food waste, our FoSN IL introduced a popular alternative composting method that uses Black Soldier Fly Larvae (“BSFL”). This method is more effective than traditional composting which is time-consuming, and machine composting which has high electricity consumption. BSFL reduces organic waste within a shorter period (7 days) as these larvae can quickly consume and decompose large amounts of such waste until they reach the pre-pupae stage.

_{Black Soldier Fly Larvae}

However, our FoSN IL soon realised that there was also a large body of research promoting the use of BSFL not just as a food waste management method but a product ingredient. BSFL is an insect that is high in protein and has been considered an alternative source of protein in animal feed.

Associate Professor Dr. Chong Li Choo, who is the Director of the Taylor’s University FoSN IL and module leader for Food Product Design and Development at the university’s School of Food Studies and Gastronomy (“SFSG”) said, “As a food technologist interested in product innovation, I am excited to share that we are now looking into turning BSFL into an alternative protein fit for human consumption. Currently, there are consumer doubts on whether these larvae are safe for us to eat since they are largely fed on kitchen waste and are not regulated ingredients. We are now attempting to cultivate ‘clean eating’ BSFLs by feeding them with uncontaminated agricultural industry by-products. We are collaborating with a soy-processing company that manufactures tofu. They supply us with okara, a residue that remains after the grinding and filtration of soybeans to produce soymilk and tofu.”

_{Packets of okara, a residue that remains after grinding and filtration of soybeans}

_{Separating the BSFL larvae from their frass. Frass refers to insect faeces, remnants of shed exoskeletons, and undigested feed.}

“Our lab has the privilege of having our own mobile bioconversion system, which has been sponsored and set up by our partner, Entomal Biotech. The company also supplies us with the BSFL babies. This mobile bioconversion system allows us to turn the BSFL, which has been bred by being fed with okara, into food product ingredients,” Dr. Chong added.

_{Our own mobile bioconversion system, sponsored by our partner Entomal Biotech}

_{Students working inside the Entomal mobile bioconversion system}

It has been exciting and beneficial for the participating SFSG Final Year Project (“FYP”) students to witness first-hand how a circular economy works where they need to farm and harvest their own ingredients, and then turn them into high protein food products using BSFL as a key sustainable and alternative food ingredient.

Many of the students started the project being slightly afraid of handling the live BSFL, but eventually overcame their aversion to these insects. FYP students from the School of Biosciences (“SBS”) who also participated in this FoSN IL Project successfully performed quality and sensory analysis on extracted BSFL oil to explore its use in food applications. These SBS FYP students are now preparing their final data for publication in a paper.

_{Overcoming initial fears to feed and breed BSFL, then using it as a food product ingredient}

Dr. Chong notes that on a macro-level, the project has long-term benefits for larger society from a food security angle. On a micro-level, the primary end beneficiaries will be the food industry, as BSFL can help to reduce and manage kitchen and general food waste, be used as an alternative protein in food products, and utilise food industry by-products in a way that promotes a more cost-effective circular economy. Typically, manufacturers must incur costs to dispose of these residual by-products.

The SFSG Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Culinology Final Year students produced two edible insect products using the BSFL that they bred in the lab: a dried meat jerky-type product (similar to “bak kwa”, the traditional Chinese snack item) and nasi lemak-flavoured salami crisps. The salami crisps have been positioned as a snack food, as snacks have a higher acceptance rate from younger consumers. Both products originally incorporated meat, but in these new product incarnations, the meat has been replaced by BSFL as a source of protein.

_{“Bugkwa” made with BSFL}

The students were also able to showcase their creativity in food product design and development by coming up with clever and catchy brand names, as well as cool logos and packaging to enhance the marketability of their “Bugkwa” and “Crave Ento Snacks” (“Ento” being a play on the word entomology relating to the scientific study of insects). These two products received positive responses when they were presented at the Future Food-Tech Festival 2023 held in 1Utama Shopping Centre. Both the “Crave Salami Crips” and “Bugkwa” won a Silver and Bronze Award for Best Social Innovation at Taylor’s Innofest 2023. While these products have not been commercialised, the FoSN IL has taken steps to create product formulations that potential food industry partners can easily pick up for manufacturing. Both products have since obtained their Intellectual Property (“IP”) copyright registrations for these formulations from the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (“MyIPO”).

_{“Ento Snacks: Crave Salami Crisps” made from BSFL}

Yanni Xinyan Ching, Co-Founder of Entomal Biotech, the industry partner for this project commented, “The wonderful student researchers have come up with exciting ‘Ento Snacks’. These chips taste like regular potato chips but come loaded with extra protein. They have amazing flavour and next-level crunchiness. I must also salute the creativity of the quirky branding that shows a Black Soldier Fly Larvae lifting weights!”

Alyssa Rudyanto, SFSG FYP Student and “Crave” Project Leader commented, “‘Crave’ offers snack enthusiasts not only irresistible taste but a health-conscious choice boasting 23% protein content that benefits both individuals and the planet. This project made me realise the critical need for a sustainable ecosystem, beginning first with food. It involved a long process, starting from the market and consumer study until we decided on the Salami Crisps as our most viable concept. Our team then developed the formulation, business plan, and marketing strategy. We worked on the project for 8 months and launched the product within a 4-month timeframe.”

Ms. Alyssa adds, “I would like to give special acknowledgment to the Mass Communication students for their outstanding ‘Crave’ design and the Business students whose business plan brought us the Taylor’s Innofest 2023 Silver Award. It was a blend of fun and stress, the start of my lifelong learning experience to become a future Culinologist.”

This meaningful project is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (“SDG”) 2 on Zero Hunger, which relates to ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. It also straddles SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, which commits to halving food waste and reducing food loss by 2030. The Taylor’s University FoSN IL continues to seek synergies with like-minded industry partners and external experts who can work together with motivated students and dedicated academic staff at Taylor’s University to develop better solutions for food security and food waste.

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