Insect biorefinery: A circular economy concept for biowaste conversion to value-added products

Phei Er Kee; Yu-Shen Cheng; Jo-Shu Chang; Hip Seng Yim; John Choon Yee Tan; Su Shiung Lam; John Chi-Wei Lan; Hui Suan Ng; Kuan Shiong Khoo

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.115284

Insect biorefinery: A circular economy concept for biowaste conversion to value-added products

Environ Res. 2023 Mar 15:221:115284. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115284. Epub 2023 Jan 11.

Authors

Phei Er Kee¹, Yu-Shen Cheng², Jo-Shu Chang³, Hip Seng Yim⁴, John Choon Yee Tan⁵, Su Shiung Lam⁶, John Chi-Wei Lan⁷, Hui Suan Ng⁸, Kuan Shiong Khoo⁹

Affiliations

¹ Biorefinery and Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
² Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
⁴ Booya Holdings, Northpoint Mid Valley City, No. 1 Medan Syed Putra Utara, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁵ Zelcos Biotech Sdn Bhd, No. 1 Lorong Nagasari 11, Taman Nagasari, 13600 Prai, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
⁶ Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India; University Centre for Research and Development, Department of Chemistry, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab, India.
⁷ Biorefinery and Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: lanchiwei@saturn.yzu.edu.tw.
⁸ Centre for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Cyberjaya, Persiaran Bestari, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: grraceng@cyberjaya.edu.my.
⁹ Centre for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Cyberjaya, Persiaran Bestari, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: kuanshiong.khoo@hotmail.com.

PMID: 36640934
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115284

Abstract

With rapid growing world population and increasing demand for natural resources, the production of sufficient food, feed for protein and fat sources and sustainable energy presents a food insecurity challenge globally. Insect biorefinery is a concept of using insect as a tool to convert biomass waste into energy and other beneficial products with concomitant remediation of the organic components. The exploitation of insects and its bioproducts have becoming more popular in recent years. This review article presents a summary of the current trend of insect-based industry and the potential organic wastes for insect bioconversion and biorefinery. Numerous biotechnological products obtained from insect biorefinery such as biofertilizer, animal feeds, edible foods, biopolymer, bioenzymes and biodiesel are discussed in the subsequent sections. Insect biorefinery serves as a promising sustainable approach for waste management while producing valuable bioproducts feasible to achieve circular bioeconomy.

Keywords: Bioproducts; Biorefinery; Circular bioeconomy; Insects; Organic wastes.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Biofuels
Biomass
Food*
Industry
Insecta
Waste Management*

Substances

Biofuels