Connect with:
Thursday / November 21. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "Ankit Alok Bagaria"
Agribusiness, Animal Health, Company News, India, R&D, Start ups

Since obtaining GMP+ is a necessity for several international locations, especially in Europe, it allows Loopworm to penetrate those markets.

Loopworm, a Biosciences and Biomanufacturing company that transforms farmed insects into sustainable value-added products, has announced that it has successfully secured the ISO 22000, GMP+, and HACCP certifications for LoopFactory, a 6000 Tonnes/ annum insect protein production unit in Bangalore. These prestigious certifications underscores Loopworm’s dedication towards ensuring safety, quality, and industry compliance in providing insect-derived protein for pet foods as well as animal feed.

Obtaining the ISO 22000 certificate demonstrates that all products manufactured by Loopworm adhere to rigorous food safety standards. It ensures that Loopworm’s insect-derived products are produced in a controlled and hygienic environment to eliminate any possibility of contamination. It also guarantees that Loopworm products are safe for animal consumption and won’t introduce harmful pathogens into the supply chain avoiding disease outbreaks.

The GMP+ (Good Manufacturing Practices for Feed) certification proves the consistent production and quality control of Loopworm’s feed products. This ensures that their insect protein and fat ingredients meet high standards across every batch. GMP+ certification is also important to demonstrate compliance with international quality and safety requirements for feed. Since obtaining GMP+ is a necessity for several international locations, especially in Europe, it allows Loopworm to penetrate those markets. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points HACCP) certification also highlights Loopworm’s preemptive measures for risk management. By observing and controlling hazards in the production process, HACCP guarantees that Loopworm’s products do not contain biological, chemical, or physical contamination.

Speaking at the occasion, Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-Founder at Loopworm Private Limited said, “These certifications position Loopworm as a credible and responsible supplier, aligning with global pet food safety and animal feed industry standards. Certifications like GMP+ are critical for entry into key markets like Europe, where strict regulations are in place for feed and pet food ingredients. Whether dealing with pet food companies or animal feed manufacturers, these certifications demonstrate Loopworm’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality, and sustainable products, which is crucial in industries increasingly focused on animal health and welfare.”

These certificates help Loopworm establish itself as a reliable company in the supply of pet food and animal feed products in global markets. Abiding to the food safety and quality standards would mark Loopworm as a benchmark in the insect protein market. These certifications not only safeguard the animals but also strengthens the confidence of pet food manufacturers and feed companies in Loopworm’s unyielding determination for safety from the start of production until the end.

Since obtaining GMP+ is a necessity for

Acquaculture, Agrotech, Animal Health, Live Stock, Opinions

 By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-Founder, Loopworm

Though the cost of producing and processing insect protein is now higher than that of more conventional sources, such as fishmeal, the business is expected to grow and economies of scale could eventually result in lower costs. Efforts are being made to address potential obstacles and hurdles in order to optimize the use of insect protein in aquaculture feeds.

Insects serve as a natural and highly nutritious food source for numerous fish species, primarily in their native habitats. In the unspoiled ecosystems of rivers, ponds, lakes, and other aquatic realms, fish extensively depend on a diverse array of terrestrial and aquatic insects as a substantial component of their dietary intake.

The spotlight has increasingly shifted towards insect protein as a sustainable and environmentally friendly substitute for traditional protein sources in the context of farmed aquaculture and ornamental fish nourishment. This approach yields several prospective advantages, encompassing heightened feed efficiency, diminished environmental repercussions, and mitigation of competition for conventional protein resources such as fishmeal, krill meal, shrimp meal, and squid meal.

Insects, including silkworm pupae, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets, are teeming with protein, rendering them an outstanding nutritional source for aquaculture species. Insect protein offers a well-rounded amino acid profile, essential fatty acids, and micronutrients that cater to a diverse range of aquaculture species. For juvenile fish, insects play a pivotal role in fostering growth and survival, providing a high-energy food source that facilitates rapid development and progression. In essence, the incorporation of insect protein in fish diets stands as an ecologically responsible and nutritionally sound approach, offering promising prospects for the aquaculture and ornamental fish industries.

To read more click on: https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

 By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-Founder, LoopwormThough the

Agrotech, India, Opinions, Poultry

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder, Loopworm

Global meat consumption is growing exponentially because of rapid urbanisation and population growth. This surge is driven not only by increasing numbers but also by changing lifestyles, particularly in developing countries. Poultry birds known for their white meat, contribute significantly to the overall meat supply. To meet the escalating demand for meat and its products, the advent of the biotechnology revolution presents a multitude of opportunities in the poultry industry. Biotechnology is no longer limited to merely enhancing farming practices; it now encompasses a broad range of transformative impacts on poultry production and the food systems that support it.

Agri-biotechnology, a branch of science that encompasses the application of various biotechnological tools and techniques to the agricultural sector, has emerged as a powerful force in revolutionising farming practices. This field encompasses a wide range of approaches and technologies, including alternative farming techniques, precision agriculture, genetic engineering, molecular markers, system biology, and other biotechnologies.

At its core, agri-biotechnology aims to harness the potential of these tools and techniques to develop crops and animals with improved traits and characteristics. These advancements are designed to address critical challenges faced by farmers and the agricultural industry. Examples of such challenges include combating pests and diseases, increasing crop yields, and enhancing the nutritional value of agricultural products.

Agri-biotechnology has the potential to address many of the challenges faced by modern agriculture, including food security, environmental sustainability, and economic development. It has the potential to revolutionise poultry in numerous ways. It can be used to develop genetically modified crops that can be used as feed for poultry. These crops can be designed to contain high levels of specific nutrients, such as protein, that are important for poultry growth and health. Researchers all across the globe are now working on alternative ingredients and nutrients for poultry too, which is indirectly supported via agri-biotechnology in other organisms. Overall, these alternative protein sources provide an opportunity for poultry producers to diversify their feed sources and reduce their reliance on traditional protein sources.

Alternative protein sources for poultry include  

1. Insects: Insects such as silkworm pupae, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets are becoming popular alternative protein sources for poultry feed. They are a sustainable protein source and can be easily raised on organic waste.

2. Algae: Algae is a rich source of protein and can be used as a feed supplement for poultry. It can be grown in large quantities and is a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources.

3. Single-cell protein: Single-cell protein is produced from microbial fermentation and is a great alternative to traditional protein sources. It is rich in essential amino acids and can be produced quickly and in large quantities.

4. Plant-based protein: Plant-based proteins can be used as an alternative protein source in poultry feed. They are a vegan alternative to animal protein sources.

To read more click on: https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder, LoopwormGlobal meat

Agrotech, Environment, India, Opinions

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-Founder, Loopworm 

The conversion of agri-waste and by-products to new valuable commodities undoubtedly requires novel technologies, also including biological technologies, which must be at the same time economically, socially, and environmentally viable and sustainable. To that end, insects have been gaining a lot of momentum as a promising biotechnological solution for upcycling leftover biomasses from agri and food production systems. However, the variety of these by-products constitutes a major technological problem for processing. Let’s explore the feasibility of this interesting development in value creation in the agriculture sector.

Till now, insects have been largely considered a pest or nuisance as they attack our crops and also infest in our granaries. But if we change the perspective and look at it from a different angle, insects are natural feeders on the crop leaves and stems, which are by-products of our agriculture production system, often getting burnt as stubble post harvesting, or being mulched into the same lands, or the most problematic of all, being dumped into landfills. 

Thus, these little creatures can be farmed on these by-products. Now, it appears a little less obvious on the use of these insects if they are mass produced in an industrial farming system. Several insect species naturally develop on organic wastes and via the incorporation of nutrients into their bodies, can be used to reduce the amount of waste material, while at the same time generating a more homogeneous and more valuable biomass. As a matter of fact, insects are a good source of useful compounds, being rich in protein, fat, chitin, and micronutrients. These biomolecules can be used for different purposes, namely for feed/food ingredients, cosmetics, pharma, bioplastics, and others, actually upgrading the value of the starting waste. 

A Historic Serendipity 

Had we found no use of Mulberry silkworms, they would have been considered as a pest for mulberry crops. But interestingly, a sudden discovery around 2000 years ago in China, with a silkworm cocoon falling in the tea of a person sipping it, led to the discovery of silk – one of the most priced commodities for the textile industry. To make it more efficient, people started looking into other applications of silkworm and its by-products, as a result of which silkworm proteins are now being explored as a natural source of bio-active peptides, and have witnessed biopharma applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and wound healing, as well as bio-materials application in textile coating, food processing applications and much more. Ultimately, genetics for strain improvement, more productive farming systems, preservation technologies for silkworm eggs, led to the further growth of the sericulture industry. Similarly, honey production and its applications in food, ayurveda, and biopharma industry led to the massive growth of bee-farming or apiculture. 

Thus, instead of looking at cockroaches and other insects as a nuisance, we can look at them as an efficient and profitable mechanism to treat waste. For instance, the palm industry suffers from Palm Weevil larvae infestation, but we still have no proper technology to deal with the crop residues of the highest edible oil producing plant. Maybe, Palm Weevil larvae, cultivated in a controlled industrial system, is the answer. Similarly, there are multiple insects which selectively feed on different crop residues, and luckily in our attempts to optimise pest management, we have already identified these insects, and studied them in great depths to understand their morphology and physiology. It’s now important to use our engineering skills to transform the science into a technology for mass producing these insects on agri and food by-products. 

Insects Turn Food Source 

As per the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the United Nations (UN), ‘Insects are the future of Food & Feed’. Notably, they are a dense source of nutrition, with 30-70 per cent protein and 20-40 per cent fats on a dry matter basis. Insects form part of the natural diet of birds and fish within their natural habitats. Poultry and aquaculture forms an integral part of the modern agriculture systems, primarily for the protein it provides. Alternative ingredients to produce formulated feeds at affordable prices and higher volumes are the need of the hour, due to the rising demand of animal-based food and feed worldwide of late. 

Global fishmeal (Fish Protein concentrate) production is today estimated to be at 4.5 million tonnes, whereas the projected demand is 6.5 million tonnes by 2030. 97 per cent soya is used in animal nutrition, which is limited in its production by arable land and portable water availability, along with other climatic and abiotic factors. Similarly, feed oil or fats are over-dependent on plant-based sources like Palm, Rapeseed, Cottonseed, etc. Thus, to sustain the growing poultry, aquaculture and pet food demand across India and the world, it is imperative that alternative ingredients are used along with traditional ingredients to bridge the volume gap, and also bring functional benefits for farmed animals. And this is exactly where farmed insects can be processed into high-quality proteins and fats for the animal nutrition industry in particular, among other sectors. 

To read more click on: HTTPs://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-Founder, Loopworm The conversion