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Sammanfattning

Many elements in current food production are unsustainable, while population growth and increased meat consumption will further intensify food demands. Circular food systems offer a more sustainable model for food production by recycling organic residual streams from the food supply chain and promoting resource efficiency. Edible insect species can efficiently convert residual streams into protein and frass (a by-product made of faeces, shed exoskeletons, and leftover feed), making them ideal for circular food systems. This thesis examines how house crickets (Acheta domesticus) and their by-product, frass, can be integrated into circular food systems. In Paper I, the scientific literature on edible insects in circular food systems is reviewed, and key ecological knowledge gaps are identified. In Paper II, building on this conceptual overview, the performance of house crickets reared on crop residues from pea and tomato were assessed. Growth and final weights were reduced under both crop residue diets; however, a significant decline in survival was observed only in tomato residue. The quantity and mineral nutrient composition of frass also differed by diet type. In Paper III, the effects of house cricket frass on the vegetative growth and nutrient concentration of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) were evaluated under different frass pre-treatments and application methods. The tallest plants were produced when non-heated frass was mixed into the substrate, the highest shoot biomass resulted from surface application, and the greatest leaf chlorophyll content was observed with delayed application. Nutrient uptake also varied by pre-treatment and application method. Finally, in Paper IV, the role of frass-associated microbial communities on spring wheat performance and aphid population growth was explored. While herbivory had the strongest impact on seedling growth, unsterile frass slightly improved root biomass and leaf chlorophyll content under aphid pressure. Aphid populations were generally lower on plants grown with sterile frass. Frass and aphid treatments also shaped the rhizosphere bacterial community, indicating that frass microbes can influence soil microbiota dynamics. Together, the findings highlight the potential of house crickets to transform crop residues into food and frass in circular food systems.

Nyckelord

Acheta domesticus; edible insects; insect frass; insect residual streams

Publicerad i

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae
2025, nummer: 2025:62
Utgivare: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekologi
Livsmedelsvetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.7ersgt4v2k
  • ISBN: 978-91-8124-046-7
  • eISBN: 978-91-8124-092-4

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/142463