Integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae

Abstract

The invention provides a hermetia illucens larva integrated processing technology which comprises the following steps: after hermetia illucens larvae are subjected to cleaning, flash sterilization and grinding treatment, carrying out first centrifugal separation to obtain a first solid phase and a first liquid phase; drying and crushing the first solid phase in any proportion to obtain insect powder; performing second centrifugal separation on the first liquid phase to obtain a first oil phase, a second liquid phase and a second solid phase; decolorizing and deodorizing the first oil phase to obtain hermetia illucens refined oil; mixing the second liquid phase and the second solid phase, performing enzymolysis treatment, and performing third centrifugal separation to obtain a third liquid phase and a third solid phase; carrying out spray drying on the third liquid phase to obtain high-protein insect peptide powder; mixing the third solid phase and the first solid phase according to any proportion, fermenting, and concentrating to obtain the fermented insect pulp. According to the method, hermetia illucens refined oil, hermetia illucens powder, fermented hermetia illucens pulp and high-protein hermetia illucens peptide powder are synchronously produced, the resource utilization rate is remarkably increased, and integrated high-value processing of hermetia illucens larvae is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of insect resource processing technology, specifically to an integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae. Background Technology

[0002] Black soldier fly larvae are corrosive insects capable of converting organic waste into amino acids, chitin, and vitamins. Their nutritional composition is characterized by high protein and fat content, a rich amino acid profile, and abundant essential trace elements and vitamins, making them a high-quality feed ingredient and bioenergy source. In recent years, the price of feed ingredients, especially protein ingredients, has risen, and feed costs have become a significant factor restricting the development of aquaculture. The industry urgently needs new, high-nutrition, and highly digestible feed materials. Black soldier fly larvae are often processed into insect pulp, insect oil, and insect powder as feed additives to replace some protein; refined black soldier fly oil has excellent moisturizing properties and can be used as a raw material in cosmetics.

[0003] Existing black soldier fly larvae processing technologies involve independent operation of each stage, such as washing, pressing, and separation equipment, which requires manual material handling, resulting in low efficiency and a high risk of contamination. For single products, such as crude black soldier fly oil, utilization rates are low. Incomplete separation of oil and solids during centrifugation affects subsequent enzymatic fermentation. Therefore, an integrated process route is urgently needed to achieve simultaneous preparation of multiple products, improving processing efficiency and product quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the technical problems existing in the background art, the present invention provides an integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae, which aims to solve the technical problems of the existing black soldier fly larvae processing technology being scattered, inefficient, and having insufficient resource utilization.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae, comprising the following steps: Black soldier fly larvae are washed, flash-sterilized, and ground before undergoing a first centrifugal separation to obtain a first solid phase and a first liquid phase. The first solid phase is dried and pulverized in any proportion to obtain insect powder. The first liquid phase is then subjected to a second centrifugal separation to obtain a first oil phase, a second liquid phase, and a second solid phase. The first oil phase was decolorized and deodorized to obtain black soldier fly larvae refined oil. The second liquid phase and the second solid phase are mixed and then subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. After a third centrifugal separation, the third liquid phase and the third solid phase are obtained. The third liquid phase is spray-dried to obtain high-protein insect peptide powder; the third solid phase and the first solid phase are mixed in any proportion and then fermented, and after concentration, fermented insect slurry is obtained.

[0006] Preferably, the flash sterilization temperature is 135~150℃ and the time is 10~50s.

[0007] Preferably, the rotation speed of the first centrifugation is 2000~4000 r / min; the rotation speed of the second centrifugation is 6000~15000 r / min.

[0008] Preferably, the adsorbent used in the decolorization treatment includes activated clay or activated carbon; the amount of activated clay added is 1% to 3% of the mass of the first oil phase; the amount of activated carbon added is 0.1% to 0.5% of the mass of the first oil phase.

[0009] Preferably, the deodorization treatment specifically involves: feeding the first oil phase into a deodorization tower, introducing 0.2~0.5MPa saturated steam into the bottom of the deodorization tower, the amount of saturated steam being 5%~10% of the mass of the first oil phase, the temperature inside the deodorization tower being 160~200℃, and the vacuum degree being -0.099MPa ~-0.0995MPa.

[0010] Preferably, the enzymatic hydrolysant used in the enzymatic hydrolysis is alkaline protease; the amount of alkaline protease added is 0.1% to 0.4% of the mass of the mixture of the second liquid phase and the second solid phase; the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature is 50 to 60°C, and the enzymatic hydrolysis time is 3 to 6 hours.

[0011] Preferably, the rotation speed of the third centrifugal separation is 6000~10000 r / min.

[0012] Preferably, the spray drying conditions are: inlet air temperature of 180~250℃ and outlet air temperature of 80~100℃.

[0013] Preferably, the strains used in the fermentation treatment include EM bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and yeast; the inoculation amount of EM bacteria is 0.1%~0.3%, the inoculation amount of lactic acid bacteria is 0.1%~0.4%, the inoculation amount of Enterococcus faecalis is 0.05%~0.1%, and the inoculation amount of yeast is 0.2%~0.5%.

[0014] Preferably, the concentration treatment temperature is 60~70℃.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention achieves integrated processing of black soldier fly larvae, simultaneously producing refined black soldier fly oil, insect powder, fermented insect pulp, and high-protein insect peptide powder, significantly improving resource utilization. The invention employs a two-stage centrifugal separation process, resulting in high-purity crude black soldier fly oil rich in lauric acid, phospholipids, and other components, suitable for use as a base oil in cosmetic raw material formulations. The black soldier fly powder, insect pulp, and high-protein insect peptide powder produced by this invention can all be used as aquatic feed additives, especially the high-protein insect peptide powder, which exhibits excellent water solubility, high small peptide content, and easy absorption. The integrated black soldier fly larvae processing equipment of this invention boasts a high degree of automation, improving processing efficiency and reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 The images show the crude black soldier fly oil (left) and refined oil (right) obtained in Example 1 of this invention; Figure 4 This is a photograph of the fermented black soldier fly larvae obtained in Example 1 of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a photograph of the black soldier fly powder obtained in Example 1 of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a photograph of the black soldier fly high-protein insect peptide powder obtained in Example 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments of the technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solution of the present invention and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] To address the technical problems of fragmented, inefficient, and underutilized black soldier fly larvae processing techniques in existing systems, this invention provides an integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae. This technology involves a series of processes, including flash sterilization, centrifugation, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, deodorization, and spray drying, to obtain black soldier fly powder, fermented insect slurry, high-protein insect peptide powder, and refined black soldier fly oil. This achieves integrated, high-value processing of black soldier fly larvae.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 1 In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae, comprising the following steps: Black soldier fly larvae are washed, flash-sterilized, and ground before undergoing a first centrifugal separation to obtain a first solid phase and a first liquid phase. The first solid phase is dried and pulverized in any proportion to obtain insect powder. The first liquid phase is then subjected to a second centrifugal separation to obtain a first oil phase, a second liquid phase, and a second solid phase. The first oil phase was decolorized and deodorized to obtain black soldier fly larvae refined oil. The second liquid phase and the second solid phase are mixed and then subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. After a third centrifugal separation, the third liquid phase and the third solid phase are obtained. The third liquid phase is spray-dried to obtain high-protein insect peptide powder; the third solid phase and the first solid phase are mixed in any proportion and then fermented, and after concentration, fermented insect slurry is obtained.

[0020] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, the invention organically integrates multiple key process steps such as pretreatment of black soldier fly larvae, multi-stage centrifugal separation, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and oil refining to form a continuous production line. Specifically, the black soldier fly larvae are first cleaned to remove surface impurities, and then flash sterilization technology is used to effectively kill microorganisms inside and outside the larvae at high temperature for a short time, while simultaneously solidifying the protein. The sterilized larvae are then ground to break down the larval tissue, facilitating the subsequent separation and extraction of components. The ground material immediately enters the first centrifugal separation process, where it is initially separated into a first solid phase and a first liquid phase. The first solid phase can be directly processed by drying and pulverizing to prepare a basic black soldier fly powder product, which retains most of the larvae's protein and some fat, making it a high-quality feed ingredient. The first liquid phase is then transported to a second centrifugal separation device for more refined separation. This step further separates the oil (first oil phase), water-soluble components (second liquid phase), and remaining solid residue (second solid phase) from the first liquid phase. The first oil phase, the crude black soldier fly oil, is then subjected to decolorization to remove pigments and other impurities, and deodorization to eliminate unpleasant odors, ultimately yielding a light-colored, mild-smelling refined black soldier fly oil that meets the application requirements of high-end fields such as cosmetics. The second liquid and second solid phases obtained from the second centrifugal separation are mixed and then enzymatically hydrolyzed. Using specific proteases under suitable conditions, the proteins are hydrolyzed into small peptides and amino acids, improving their digestibility and absorption rate. The enzymatically hydrolyzed mixture undergoes a third centrifugal separation, yielding a third liquid and a third solid phase rich in small peptides. The third liquid phase is spray-dried to quickly remove moisture, resulting in a high-protein insect peptide powder with good water solubility and high small peptide content. The third solid phase can be mixed with the first solid phase in any proportion, inoculated with specific fermentation bacteria, and fermented. After fermentation, it is concentrated to produce a fermented insect pulp product with a unique flavor and rich nutrition. This integrated design ensures continuous and highly automated material transfer throughout the entire processing, avoiding the inefficiencies and cross-contamination issues caused by dispersed equipment and manual handling in traditional processes. It also enables the comprehensive and high-value utilization of black soldier fly larvae resources.

[0021] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the flash sterilization temperature is 135~150°C and the time is 10~50s.

[0022] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, the material undergoes three stages in the flash tank: preheating, high-temperature sterilization, and flash cooling, which can achieve sterilization and protein solidification of black soldier fly larvae material.

[0023] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the rotation speed of the first centrifugation is 2000~4000 r / min; the rotation speed of the second centrifugation is 6000~15000 r / min.

[0024] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, the first centrifugal separation uses low speed centrifugation to achieve preliminary separation of substances with high solid content. The equipment is preferably a horizontal centrifuge, which can be operated continuously. The second centrifugal separation uses high speed centrifugation, which is suitable for centrifuging substances with low solid content and achieving three-stage separation of solid phase, liquid phase and oil phase. The main purpose is to separate the oil phase and liquid phase. The equipment is preferably a tubular centrifuge, which is operated intermittently.

[0025] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the drying temperature is 100~120°C and the drying time is 4~8 hours.

[0026] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the adsorbent used in the decolorization treatment includes activated clay or activated carbon; the amount of activated clay added is 1% to 3% of the mass of the first oil phase; the amount of activated carbon added is 0.1% to 0.5% of the mass of the first oil phase.

[0027] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the deodorization process specifically involves: feeding the first oil phase into a deodorization tower, introducing saturated steam at 0.2~0.5MPa into the bottom of the deodorization tower, with the amount of saturated steam being 5%~10% of the mass of the first oil phase, the temperature inside the deodorization tower being 160~200℃, and the vacuum degree being -0.099MPa ~ -0.0995MPa.

[0028] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the enzymatic hydrolysant used in the enzymatic hydrolysis is an alkaline protease, and the amount added is 0.1% to 0.4% of the mass of the mixture of the second liquid phase and the second solid phase; the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature is 50 to 60°C, and the enzymatic hydrolysis time is 3 to 6 hours.

[0029] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, alkaline protease partially hydrolyzes large protein molecules into small, easily absorbed, water-soluble peptides.

[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the rotation speed of the third centrifugal separation is 6000~10000 r / min.

[0031] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the spray drying conditions are: an inlet air temperature of 180~250°C and an outlet air temperature of 80~100°C.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the strains used in the fermentation treatment include EM bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and yeast; the inoculation amount of EM bacteria is 0.1%~0.3%, the inoculation amount of lactic acid bacteria is 0.1%~0.4%, the inoculation amount of Enterococcus faecalis is 0.05%~0.1%, and the inoculation amount of yeast is 0.2%~0.5%.

[0033] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, the selection of a mixed strain of EM bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and yeast for fermentation can effectively improve the flavor of insect slurry, making it easier for aquatic animals to eat. The fermentation process can effectively reduce the pH value of the insect slurry, making it easier to preserve the insect slurry.

[0034] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the concentration process is carried out at a temperature of 60-70°C.

[0035] In the technical solution of this invention embodiment, when the concentration treatment temperature is set to 60~70℃, no heat-sensitive components of the material decompose, and the solvent evaporation efficiency is relatively good. By setting different temperatures and durations, fermented insect slurry with different moisture contents can be obtained. The nutritional index of fermented insect slurry is generally the protein content. Moisture content has a certain impact on the value of insect slurry; high moisture content and low protein content result in different solid content and different product uses. In actual production, the target moisture content can be controlled according to the product's intended use. For example, insect slurry with a moisture content of 70%~90% has strong fluidity and is easy to mix, and can be used as a feed liquid additive to be directly mixed into aquatic and livestock feed to increase protein absorption rate. It can also be used as a raw material for bio-fermentation and ready-to-eat wet pet food. Insect slurry with a moisture content of 40%~60% has both plasticity and stability, is not easily spoiled, and can be used as a feed pellet binder and a base material for bio-organic fertilizer. Insect slurry with a moisture content of 10%~30% is easy to store and has low transportation costs, and can be used as a raw material for protein powder and a supplement for dry pet food.

[0036] The following are some specific embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they shall be performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in this field or according to the product instructions. Reagents or instruments used, unless otherwise specified, are all conventional products that can be obtained commercially.

[0037] Example 1 Please refer to Figure 2 A processing technology for integrated black soldier fly larvae, the specific steps of which are as follows: Black soldier fly larvae were fed into an automatic cleaning machine in batches. The cleaning valve was opened, and after cleaning for 15 minutes, they were conveyed to a flash tank via an automatic conveyor belt. The temperature of the flash tank was set to 140 degrees Celsius and the time was 30 seconds. After cooling, they were sent to a colloid mill. After grinding in the colloid mill, they were sent to a horizontal centrifuge at a speed of 3000 rpm for 15 minutes to achieve primary solid-liquid separation, obtaining solid phase 1 and liquid phase 1.

[0038] A portion of the solid phase 1 was directly fed into a dryer at 110℃ for 4 hours. After drying, it was pulverized in a grinder to obtain insect powder with a moisture content of 5% and a protein content of approximately 51%. (See attached image) Figure 5 .

[0039] Liquid phase 1 enters tubular centrifuge 1, which is set to a speed of 12000 rpm and centrifuged for 10 minutes to obtain oil phase 2, liquid phase 2, and solid phase 2. The separated oil phase 2 is the crude oil of black soldier fly larvae, with a purity of 95% (see attached image). Figure 3 (Left). The crude oil from black soldier fly larvae is yellowish-brown in color, contains many impurities, and has a strong sour and fishy odor. Oil phase 2 is decolorized using 3% activated clay at 55℃ for 3 hours, followed by centrifugation to remove the residue. The residue is then sent to a deodorization tower for further deodorization. The tower is set with 0.3MPa saturated steam introduced at the bottom (8% steam rate), at a temperature of 180℃ and a vacuum of -0.096MPa. After maintaining a constant temperature of 180℃ for 2 hours, refined black soldier fly oil is obtained. Figure 3 As shown on the right, the color is pale yellow, which is significantly lower than that of crude oil (left), and the odor is very faint.

[0040] Liquid phase 2 and solid phase 2 were fed into an enzymatic hydrolysis tank, and 0.2% alkaline protease was added. The hydrolysis temperature was 55℃, and the hydrolysis time was 4 hours. After hydrolysis, the temperature was raised to 80℃, and the enzyme was inactivated for 15 minutes. Then, the mixture was sent to a tubular centrifuge 2, set to a speed of 8000 rpm, and centrifuged for 8 minutes to obtain liquid phase 3 and solid phase 3. Liquid phase 3 was fed into a spray dryer, with a feed rate of 300 kg / h, an inlet air temperature of 200℃, and an outlet air temperature of 80℃. The high-protein insect peptide powder obtained after spray drying was milky white in color. Figure 6 As shown, the protein content is 80%, and it is well soluble in water.

[0041] Solid phase 3 and part of solid phase 1 are put into the fermentation tank, 6% brown sugar is added, and mixed bacteria are added. The mixed bacteria ratio is 0.2% EM bacteria, 0.1% lactic acid bacteria, 0.05% Enterococcus faecalis and 0.3% yeast. Fermentation is carried out at room temperature for 3 days. The moisture content of the insect pulp produced directly is about 60%. The insect slurry with a moisture content of 60% in the fermentation tank is uniformly fed into the concentration tank using a feed pump. The feed rate is controlled at 100L. During the feeding process, the stirring system is turned on and the stirring speed is set to 30r / min to avoid local sedimentation of the material. After the feeding is completed, the feed valve is closed, and stirring is continued. The vacuum system is started, and the vacuum degree in the concentration tank is gradually adjusted to -0.06MPa. After the vacuum degree stabilizes, the steam heating system is turned on and the steam pressure is controlled at 0.1MPa for heating. The temperature is set at 65℃. Heating and stirring are continued until the online concentration detection device shows a solid content of 50%. The heating system is turned off first, and the vacuum system and stirring system continue to run for 5 minutes. When the insect slurry cools down to about 35℃, the discharge valve is opened to obtain fermented insect slurry with a moisture content of 50% (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (As shown), it can be directly filled into sealed plastic bags. The insect slurry will continue to ferment after filling.

[0042] Comparative Example 1 The difference between this comparative example and Example 1 is that only one centrifugation was performed at 3000 r / min for 15 min to obtain solid phase A and liquid phase A. Solid phase A was dried and pulverized to obtain insect powder, while liquid phase A was directly subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. The remaining processing steps and parameters were the same as in Example 1. The results showed that because liquid phase A contained a large amount of oil, oil-water separation occurred during enzymatic hydrolysis, affecting the contact between the enzyme and the substrate, reducing the hydrolysis efficiency, and ultimately resulting in insect peptide powder with a protein content of only 52% and poor water solubility. Furthermore, because the oil in liquid phase A was not separately separated and purified, insect oil products were lacking, and resource utilization was significantly reduced.

[0043] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above embodiments are merely examples, and any embodiments that have the same structure and perform the same effects as the technical concept within the scope of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art to the embodiments, and other ways of constructing by combining some of the constituent elements of the embodiments, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, are also included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A processing technology for integrated black soldier fly larvae, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Black soldier fly larvae are washed, flash-sterilized, and ground before undergoing a first centrifugal separation to obtain a first solid phase and a first liquid phase. The first solid phase is dried and pulverized in any proportion to obtain insect powder. The first liquid phase is then subjected to a second centrifugal separation to obtain a first oil phase, a second liquid phase, and a second solid phase. The first oil phase was decolorized and deodorized to obtain black soldier fly larvae refined oil. The second liquid phase and the second solid phase are mixed and then subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. After a third centrifugal separation, a third liquid phase and a third solid phase are obtained. The third liquid phase is spray-dried to obtain high-protein insect peptide powder; the third solid phase is mixed with the first solid phase in any proportion and then fermented, and after concentration, fermented insect slurry is obtained.

2. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flash sterilization temperature is 135~150℃ and the time is 10~50s.

3. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation speed of the first centrifugation is 2000~4000 r / min; the rotation speed of the second centrifugation is 6000~15000 r / min.

4. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorbent used in the decolorization treatment includes activated clay or activated carbon; the amount of activated clay added is 1% to 3% of the mass of the first oil phase; the amount of activated carbon added is 0.1% to 0.5% of the mass of the first oil phase.

5. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deodorization process specifically involves: feeding the first oil phase into a deodorization tower, introducing 0.2~0.5MPa saturated steam into the bottom of the deodorization tower, with the amount of saturated steam being 5%~10% of the mass of the first oil phase, the temperature inside the deodorization tower being 160~200℃, and the vacuum degree being -0.099MPa~-0.0995MPa.

6. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enzymatic hydrolysate used in the enzymatic hydrolysis is an alkaline protease; the amount of alkaline protease added is 0.1% to 0.4% of the mass of the second liquid phase and the second solid phase mixture; the temperature of the enzymatic hydrolysis is 50 to 60°C, and the time of the enzymatic hydrolysis is 3 to 6 hours.

7. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation speed of the third centrifugal separation is 6000~10000 r / min.

8. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conditions for spray drying are: inlet air temperature of 180~250℃ and outlet air temperature of 80~100℃.

9. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microorganisms used in the fermentation process include EM bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis, and yeast; the inoculation amount of EM bacteria is 0.1%~0.3%, the inoculation amount of lactic acid bacteria is 0.1%~0.4%, the inoculation amount of Enterococcus faecalis is 0.05%~0.1%, and the inoculation amount of yeast is 0.2%~0.5%.

10. The integrated processing technology for black soldier fly larvae according to claim 1, characterized in that, The concentration process is carried out at a temperature of 60-70°C.

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