Method to convert insects or worms into nutrient streams and compositions obtained thereby

Abstract

A method to convert insects or worms into nutrient streams, such as a fat-containing, an aqueous protein-containing and a solid-containing fraction, includes (a) squashing insects or worms thereby obtaining a pulp, wherein the insects or worms are reduced in size, (b) heating the pulp to a temperature of 70-100° C., and (c) subjecting the heated pulp to a physical separation step, preferably decanting and/or centrifuging. The method does not comprise enzymatic treatment of the pulp. The fat-containing fraction comprises at least 80 wt. % insect or worm fat of which at least 40 wt. % are saturated fats. The aqueous protein fraction can be dried to obtain dried protein material, which contains at least 50 wt. % insect or worm protein-derived matter and at most 25 wt. % insect or worm fat based on dry weight. The protein has a pepsin digestibility of at least 50%. The resulting nutrient streams can be used in food, petfood, feed and pharmaceutical industry.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.