ICAR-CIBA, Loopworm partners to evaluate the utility of insect-based protein and oil in aquafeeds

The MoU was inked to evaluate the utility of Loopworm’s products in shrimp and Asian seabass.

ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai signed a MoU with the team of M/s. Loopworm, an insect biosciences and bio manufacturing startup firm based in Bangalore to evaluate the utility of insect-based protein and oil in aqua feeds.

Loopworm is India’s largest insect-based protein and fat producer with a processing capability of 6,000 MT insects annually. Protein and fat are the costliest nutrients in the aqua feed. With the rapid expansion of aquaculture, there is a growing demand for high-quality protein and oil in the aqua feed. Finding nutritionally appropriate and sustainable alternatives to fishmeal and fish oil is an applied research area that added many options to the aqua feed ingredient basket. Recently, insects have received significant attention as a new ingredient for aqua feed since they show many advantages such as low environmental impact, the ability to grow on by-products with better feed conversion efficiency, and a low risk of transmitting zoonotic infections.

The MoU was inked to evaluate the utility of Loopworm’s products in shrimp and Asian seabass. Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder and CEO of Loopworm, emphasised plans for cost-effective production and scaling up the insect protein and oil. The event was organized by the Institute Technology Management Unit, ICAR-CIBA, and SIC, ITMU.

The MoU was inked to evaluate the