Insect production systems and methods

Abstract

Variable-scale, modular, easily manufacturable, energy efficient, reliable, and computer operated Insect Production Superstructure Systems (IPSS) may be used to produce insects for human and animal consumption, and for the extraction and use of lipids for applications involving medicine, nanotechnology, consumer products, and chemical production with minimal water, feedstock, and environmental impact. An IPSS may comprise modules including feedstock mixing, enhanced feedstock splitting, insect feeding, insect breeding, insect collection, insect grinding, pathogen removal, multifunctional flour mixing, and lipid extraction. An IPSS may be configured to be constructed out of a plurality of containerized modules.

1 . A method of insect farming comprising:
 providing a plurality of insects;   providing one or more nutrients to said plurality of insects; and   harvesting said plurality of insects;   wherein one or more steps is automated.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said nutrient includes one or more nutrients selected from the group consisting of a feedstock, a mineral, a vitamin, a polymer, and an enhancer;   said feedstock includes one or feedstocks selected from the group consisting of agriculture residue, an alcohol production coproduct, animal waste, bio-waste, compost, crop residue, an energy crop, fermentation waste, meat, other insects, fermentative process waste, food processing residue, food waste, garbage, industrial waste, livestock waste, municipal solid waste, plant matter, poultry wastes, rice straw, sewage, spent grain, spent microorganisms, urban waste, vegetative material, and wood waste;   said mineral includes one or more minerals selected from the group consisting of potassium, chloride, sodium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, selenium, and molybdenum   said vitamin includes one or more vitamins selected from the group consisting of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin E, and vitamin A;   said polymer includes one or polymers selected from the group consisting of a long-chain polymer of an N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, chitin, cell walls of fungi, the exoskeleton of arthropods, the exoskeleton of crabs, the exoskeleton of crustaceans, the exoskeleton of lobsters, the exoskeleton of shrimp, the exoskeleton of insects, the radulae of mollusks, the beaks of cephalopods, the shells of cephalopods, the beaks of squid, the beaks of octopuses, the scales of fish, the soft tissue of lissamphibians, and keratin;   said enhancer includes one or more enhancers selected from the group consisting of niacin, taurine, glucuronic acid, malic acid, N-acetyl L tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, caffeine, citicoline, insect growth hormone, a steroid, and a human growth hormone.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said nutrient includes a component of a  cannabis  plant, said component of said  cannabis  plant comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of powdered  cannabis , dried  cannabis , ground  cannabis , decarboxylated  cannabis , a  cannabis  volatile component, a  cannabis  fixed carbon component, and tetrahydrocannabinol.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a breeding material is provided to said plurality of insects by an automated system, said plurality of insects lays egg into said breeding material; wherein:   said breeding material includes one or more breeding materials selected from the group consisting of soil, mulch, compost, top soil, humus, clay, dirt, sand, minerals, organic matter, a gel, a damp substrate, vermiculite, leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, agricultural residue, wood chips, green waste, woodchip mulch, bark chips, straw mulch, hay, food waste, animal waste, cardboard, newspaper, carpet, foam, moss, recycled pulp, paper scraps, and industrial waste.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects are provided in a feeding chamber.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the feeding chamber is vibrated to remove said plurality of insects and/or a waste product from the feeding chamber;   said waste product includes one or more waste products selected from the group consisting of a breeding material, insect eggs, and at least a portion of said one or more nutrients; wherein:   said breeding material includes one or more breeding materials selected from the group consisting of soil, mulch, compost, top soil, humus, clay, dirt, sand, minerals, organic matter, a gel, a damp substrate, vermiculite, leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, agricultural residue, wood chips, green waste, woodchip mulch, bark chips, straw mulch, hay, food waste, animal waste, cardboard, newspaper, carpet, foam, moss, recycled pulp, paper scraps, and industrial waste.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects are harvested by an automated system.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said one or more said nutrients is provided to said plurality of insects by an automated system.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 water is provided to said plurality of insects by an automated system.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a waste product is produced by growing said plurality of insects, and wherein a conveyor belt carries some or all of said waste product away from said plurality of insects; wherein:   said waste product includes one or more waste products selected from the group consisting of a breeding material, insect eggs, and at least a portion of said one or more nutrients;   said breeding material includes one or more waste products selected from the group consisting of soil, mulch, compost, top soil, humus, clay, dirt, sand, minerals, organic matter, a gel, a damp substrate, vermiculite, leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, agricultural residue, wood chips, green waste, woodchip mulch, bark chips, straw mulch, hay, food waste, animal waste, cardboard, newspaper, carpet, foam, moss, recycled pulp, paper scraps, and industrial waste.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 additional insects are provided to said feeding chamber by an automated system.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects are processed to produce a product, wherein said product includes one or more products selected from the group consisting of a human food product, an animal food product, a cosmetic product, a medical product, a surfactant, a herbicide, an insecticide, and a fungicide.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 after harvesting said plurality of insects, grinding said insects and/or contacting said plurality of insects with a source of water.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects comprise a pathogen, and after harvesting said plurality of insects, killing said pathogen from said plurality of insects to produce pathogen-depleted insects, wherein said pathogen-depleted insects comprise a reduced amount of said pathogen relative to said plurality of insects; wherein:   said pathogen comprises one or more pathogens selected from the group consisting of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, influenza A viruses, H5N1, H7N7, avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Q-fever, cutaneous zoonotic leishmaniasis, ebola, monkeypox, Rift Valley fever, Crimea Congo haemorrhagic fever, encephalopathy, West Nile fever, a paramyxovirus, a virus, bacteria, a fungus, a prion, and a parasite.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects comprise a lipid, and after harvesting said plurality of insects, separating said lipid from said plurality of insects to produce lipid-depleted insects, wherein said lipid-depleted insects comprise a reduced amount of said lipid relative to said plurality of insects.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of insects include one or more types of insects selected from the group consisting of Orthoptera order of insects, and an order of insects other than Orthoptera order of insects.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 after harvesting said plurality of insects, producing a multifunctional composition my mixing at least a portion of said plurality of insects with an ingredient, said ingredient comprises one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of a fiber-starch material, a binding agent, a density improving textural supplement, a moisture improving textural supplement, and a component of a  cannabis  plant; wherein:   said fiber-starch material comprises one or more fiber-starch materials selected from the group consisting of a cereal-grain-based material, a grass-based material, a nut-based material, a powdered fruit material, a root-based material, a tuber-based material, and a vegetable-based material;   said binding agent comprises one or more binding agents selected from the group consisting of agar, agave, alginin, arrowroot, carrageenan, collagen, cornstarch, egg whites, finely ground seeds, furcellaran, gelatin, guar gum, honey, katakuri starch, locust bean gum, pectin, potato starch, proteins,  psyllium  husks, sago, sugar, a syrup, tapioca, vegetable gum, and xanthan gum;   said density improving textural supplement comprises one or more density improving textural supplements selected from the group consisting of extracted arrowroot starch, extracted corn starch, extracted lentil starch, extracted potato starch, and extracted tapioca starch;   said moisture improving textural supplement comprises one or more moisture improving textural supplements selected from the group consisting of almonds, brazil nuts, cacao, cashews, chestnuts, coconut, filberts, hazelnuts, Indian nuts, macadamia nuts, nut butter, nut oil, nut powder, peanuts, pecans, pili nuts, pine nuts, pinon nuts, pistachios, soy nuts, sunflower seeds, tiger nuts, and walnuts;   said component of said  cannabis  plant comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of powdered  cannabis , dried  cannabis , ground  cannabis , decarboxylated  cannabis , a  cannabis  volatile component, a  cannabis  fixed carbon component, and tetrahydrocannabinol.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 said multifunctional composition comprises a powder.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , comprising:
 producing a foodstuff from said multifunctional composition, wherein said foodstuff includes one or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of ada, bagels, a baked good, biscuits, bitterballen, bonda, breads, cake, candy, cereal, chips, chocolate bars, chocolate, coffee, cokodok, confectionery, cookies, cooking batter, crackers, crepes, croissants, croquettes, croutons, dolma, dough, doughnuts, energy bars, flapjacks, french fries, frozen custard, frozen desserts, frying cakes, fudge, gelatin mixes, granola bars, gulha, hardtack, ice cream, khandvi, khanom buang, krumpets, meze, mixed flour, muffins, a multi-grain snack, nachos, nian gao, noodles, nougat, onion rings, pakora, pancakes, panforte, pastas, pastries, pie crust, pita chips, pizza, poffertjes, pretzels, protein powder, pudding, rice krispie treats, sesame sticks, smoothies, snacks, specialty milk, tele-bhaja, tempura, toffee, tortillas, totopo, turkish delights, and waffles.   
     
     
         20 . An automated insect farming system comprising:
 an insect feeding chamber;   a feedstock delivery system;   a water delivery system;   a mechanism for removal of one or more insects from said insect feeding chamber;   a computerized system programmed to automate one or more of:   feedstock delivery;   water delivery; and   insect removal;   wherein the computerized system is operably linked to one or more of:   the insect feeding chamber;   the feedstock delivery system;   the water delivery system; and   the mechanism for removal of the insects.