Protecting Our Food for the Future: DNP and Ehime University Collaborate to Develop Insect-Based Feed for Aquaculture

――To start off, what motivated DNP to begin developing insect-based feed for aquaculture?

Hirai:
Our division, Imaging Communications Operations, is working to create future growth opportunities with a view to the next ten years. Rather than simply building on what DNP has done so far, we’ve been exploring new business ideas by focusing on social challenges — and that’s how we arrived at the issue of food.
As the global population grows and diets improve, it is predicted that we could face a “protein crisis” around 2030, where demand outpaces supply. This makes the stable supply of food a major social issue. That’s why we began considering what it would take to continue enjoying the food we’re accustomed to—without increasing environmental impact or costs.

Among potential solutions, we identified insects as a promising option. As a protein-rich resource, insects are attracting growing global interest, with R&D efforts accelerating worldwide.

However, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of eating insects. That’s why we focused on using insects as feed for aquaculture. To continue eating fish safely in the future, we need a stable supply of feed for farmed fish. We believe insect farming for feed manufacturers and aquaculture businesses could be a promising new venture. In fact, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the insect feed market is valued at 24.2 trillion yen, and the land-based aquaculture market at 12.8 trillion yen—highlighting the significant business potential.

— How did your joint research with Ehime University come about?

Hirai
Our initial R&D collaboration began with Ainan Liberacio Co., Ltd., a startup originating from Ehime University that has successfully brought to market products made from silkworm pupae. *1 Through them, we were introduced to Professor Takeshi Miura of the same university, who has a world-class track record in researching the use of insects in aquaculture. ^​ 

The joint research among the three parties officially began in 2022. Ehime University is mainly responsible for fundamental research, while Ainan Liberacio focuses on business growth, scalability, and economic feasibility. DNP is working on developing automated systems for insect breeding, as well as exploring high-value applications for by-products generated through research.

• 1　株式会社愛南リベラシオのWebサイト　https://ai-lib.com/

— Based on your many years of research into the use of insects in aquaculture, what do you see as the key challenges facing the aquaculture industry today?

Professor Miura
One of the serious issues facing Japan's aquaculture industry is feed. When farming marine fish such as sea bream or yellowtail, the main ingredient in their feed is fishmeal. However, this process often consumes more wild fish than the number of farmed fish it produces, which raises serious concerns about sustainability.

In addition, a large portion of the wild fish used for feed is imported, making the supply vulnerable to sharp price increases. It's said that more than 70% of aquaculture costs come from feed alone, so domestic production of alternative feeds to replace fishmeal is essential to ensure a stable and low-cost supply. 

There has been research and development into plant-based protein feeds, such as those made from soybeans and corn. However, for carnivorous fish like tuna, these feeds are harder to digest and don’t provide sufficient nutrition.

On top of that, alternative feeds must be made from materials that humans don’t eat and that are inexpensive—otherwise, they end up competing with the human food supply. In this respect, insects hold tremendous potential.

—What are the characteristics of insects used as feed?

Professor Miura
We are studying mealworm larvae—larvae of the Tenebrio molitor beetle—as a feed source. They contain all essential amino acids required by humans.

Insects have as much or more protein than meat or fish, and are also packed with vitamins and minerals. They offer additional benefits such as low environmental impact during production and ease of growth management. Among them, mealworms stand out for their hygienic qualities: they don’t move around much and can be raised on dry feed, making them particularly suitable for large-scale feed production.

We believe that by processing grown mealworms into powder and mixing them into fish feed, we can create affordable feed that supports fish growth. By adjusting the feed composition and cultivation methods, we can even develop specialized feeds that boost fish immunity or alter meat quality. As our research progresses, we’re discovering that mealworms have even greater potential than we initially thought, with a wide range of applications.

— Professor Miura, what impression did you have of DNP when they approached you about the joint research?

Professor Miura
I’ve received inquiries from various companies in the past—requests to hear about my work or to engage in joint research. However, to be honest, many of those discussions ended with just exchanging information and nothing more. In contrast, Mr. Hirai from DNP didn’t just listen; he said, “Let’s work together.” That was a very welcome offer.

Insect-based feed has huge potential, but honestly, Japan’s R&D is behind the rest of the world. We need to get people in Japan to understand its importance, make the feed practical, and implement it in society. Universities can only do so much, so having companies to work alongside us is crucial. That’s why I feel truly encouraged that a company like DNP, with its broad network and diverse business areas, has stepped forward to joining us. 

Hirai
When I first met Professor Miura, I imagine he wondered why DNP was venturing into the insect feed sector. This field lies outside DNP’s traditional business domains, and my division—the Imaging Communications Operations—focuses on photo related products and services, with no direct connection to that area.

I conveyed that I truly believe this project can be realized by harnessing “DNP’s collective spirit,” and that collaboration with Ehime University is essential. My explanation might not have been perfect, but I was glad that Professor Miura shared my enthusiasm.

After receiving a positive response regarding the joint research, I immediately began building the project team. Since this project couldn’t be completed by my department alone, I leveraged internal networks extensively, with support from my supervisor, to bring together willing members from other departments as well.

— Could you tell us about the specific process?

Professor Miura
To put mealworms into practical use as feed, the first step is to determine what kinds of environments and diets are best suited for their growth and to establish efficient production methods. Our laboratory is conducting basic research for this part.

To figure out what feed works best, we’re currently giving mealworms different types of feed and tracking their growth. We mostly use leftover food that people throw away, but Mr. Hirai often brings in feed options we could never obtain on our own — which always amazes me.

Hirai
DNP has relationships with a wide range of companies across various industries throughout Japan, and we draw on these connections to obtain waste materials generated during manufacturing processes in sectors such as food service, retail, and food production. From these sources, we’ve identified several promising feed candidates. If we can establish a “food residues network,” we believe it could contribute to reducing food loss in the future. Additionally, we collaborate with DNP’s technology and R&D divisions to support analyses that cannot be conducted within the university, such as component analysis and image processing.

As we move toward practical implementation, large-scale production through manual labor is not feasible, making automation of the breeding process essential. In collaboration with Professor Miura, DNP has been identifying which steps can be automated and compiling key parameters for breeding environments and operating conditions that enhance efficiency. Throughout this effort, we’ve also identified opportunities to apply DNP’s production technologies—such as aseptic filling systems—along with its operational and maintenance expertise.

We are currently developing a functional prototype based on the collected data to validate core functions and design before moving to mass production. Our goal is to introduce a pilot-scale plant at a research institute by FY2025 and have a commercial-scale facility operational sometime between FY2028 and FY2030.

— Has the usefulness of using mealworms as feed already been confirmed?

Professor Miura
Our laboratory has a network with aquaculture businesses, and our strength lies in being able to carry out everything from research to practical demonstration experiments. We have conducted demonstration experiments in which feed containing about 20% mealworm mixed with fish meal was given to farmed fish (red sea bream). The first batch of farmed fish has already been shipped and was even served in DNP’s company cafeteria.

— Have you come across any other ways to use mealworms besides as feed for farmed fish during your research?

Professor Miura
I believe that in R&D, it’s important to explore various possibilities rather than narrowing down to a single outcome for social implementation.

Currently, we are focusing on adding value to mealworm frass (excrement). During their growth, mealworms produce frass weighing about five times their body mass, and we are researching ways to utilize it effectively. At present, frass is mainly used as a low-cost fertilizer, but if we can enhance certain functions to increase its value, it could not only eliminate disposal costs but also generate profits. Achieving this would help reduce overall feed costs.

We also gained new insights through suggestions from DNP. Since we are aquaculture specialists, we have been considering the use of mealworms primarily as fish feed. However, DNP proposed that mealworms could potentially be used as livestock feed as well and introduced us to various contacts in the livestock industry.

By exchanging ideas, we’ve realized that insect-derived functional components could help tackle problems in livestock farming too. While we tend to think within our narrow field of expertise, collaborating with DNP has opened up these broader possibilities, which we consider a significant benefit of our partnership.

Hirai
For this initiative, Hokkaido Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., a member of the DNP group with expertise in Hokkaido’s livestock industry, has been collaborating with us. I had previously discussed livestock-related challenges with their representative, which led me to consult Professor Miura about the potential use of insects as a solution. This has reinforced my appreciation for the value of our internal corporate network.

• Please note that the information provided is current as of the publication date.