Results

Investigations within the BMBF forerunner project Competitive Insect Products (CIP, FKZ: 031B0338A/B) have identified insect fat as a possible base oil for the development of bio-olefins. After a multi-step fat purification process, a particulate free insect fat with a high content of saturated fatty acids (about 70%) and high amounts of lauric acid could be obtained. The development of loss lubricants such as chain grease or hydraulic oil for the forestry sector or lubricating grease for use in the marine sector on the basis of insect grease appears possible according to current knowledge. However, the existing raw fat properties require further product processing (refining, chemical modification/esterification and additivation) in order to meet the usual market product specifications.

External studies [1] and our own preliminary investigations indicate that a shift in the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids in insect fat is possible, as well as a shift in the acid spectrum to certain high-quality single fatty acids. This holds the potential for standardized production of insect crude fat with an optimized fatty acid composition as a feedstock for biolubricant production. Targeted biological control of fatty acid composition may eliminate the need for the complex and costly refining step of fat hydrogenation in biolubricant production.

More information on the predecessor project can be found at the web addresses www.dbfz.de/cip.

[1] www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X19306440 (Ewald et.al.; Fatty acid composition of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) – Possibilities and limitations for modification through diet, 2019)