AKTUELLES UND NEUES
IN DER REGION ROSTOCK

Environmentally friendly, sustainable and healthy – this is very true in the case of mealworms. Until now the start-up-company “Inova Protein” from Rostock has only been researching in this field. Now the founders take the first leap: their own production of insect meal

Environmentally friendly, sustainable and healthy – this is very true in the case of mealworms. Until now the start-up-company “Inova Protein” from Rostock has only been researching in this field. Now the founders take the first leap: their own production of insect meal. Filled with proud the three young entrepreneurs Raijana Schiemann, Nico Funck and Christian Baudisch look at the green area on the edge of the industrial area in Roggentin. Before the end of this month the construction of the production facility with a surface area of 720 square meters will begin. “If everything goes well, we can move in by the end of the year”, Mrs. Schiemann, biologist, is happy to tell.

The company starts with 170 boxes filled with yellow mealworms, which the founders already now are breeding in the climatic chamber at the University of Rostock. “First, approximately by the end of the first Quarter in 2022, we plan to produce 1.5 tonnes insect meal”, Mrs. Schiemann says. “Considering that one worm only has a weight of about 0.1 g-  in dried form they even weigh half as much -  we need an amazing amount for one kilogram meal,  namely 20.000 worms.”, founding member and economist Mr. Baudisch explains.

The natural meal that is exclusively obtained from yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) contains up to 60 % protein. In terms of nutritional value the protein is comparable with the value of fish, however the production is environmentally more friendly. The insect meal is not only an excellent protein supplier, it also contains many vitamins, unsaturated fats and minerals like calcium, zinc and iron. This is all possible without addition of antibiotics and growth hormones.

The meal worms offer an attractive alternative to fishmeal. The new environmentally friendly protein-rich insect meal creates new opportunities for people. It can be further processed into pasta and bakery products und can be used as a healthy meat substitute.

Source: www.ostseezeitung.de

Read more: https://inovaprotein.de/aktuelles