A South African agritech company that regards flies as anything but pests has opened a new ‘world-class, state-of-the-art’ laboratory in Cape Town, positioning itself as a leader in insect biotechnology.

Maltento farms black soldier flies whose larvae convert agricultural waste, such as used grain from the beer industry, into nutrient-rich proteins and oils for pet food, reports Engineering News.

‘With this investment, Maltento has taken a significant stride to disrupt the status quo in the pet food industry by pioneering a new ingredient that holds the promise of being undeniably better, far more sustainable and scientifically superior for our pets and the planet,’ says Ryan Ponquett, lead scientist at Maltento.

The start-up’s latest PALATE+ product tested positively in the US recently, according to the company.

‘Beyond protein, soldier fly larvae also produce frass [organic fertiliser] as a useful by-product through their excrement of the spent brewery grains,’ says Ponquett.

‘Frass also holds substantial nutritional value and serves as an excellent composted soil amendment product, capable of enhancing soil fertility, building plant immunology, promoting nutrient cycling and improving soil structure.’

30 April 2024
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