Lesser Mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) as Meat Waste Upcyclers

• Zoe Goodbred, Insect Ecology and Conservation, University of Delaware

• Michael Crossley, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware

Food production uses 50% of land and 80% of all freshwater consumed in the United States. Yet, in the U.S. alone, 40% of food is wasted. Instead of discarding this waste in landfills, it can be turned into new biomass with insects. It is proven that the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) can handle unmodified meat waste. Yet, it is unknown how efficient the lesser mealworm is at consuming meat products compared to other waste upcyclers, and if they can complete development on a diet of meat and grain. Here, we measured lesser mealworm yield and meat waste reduction on diets of different meat types. Additionally, we compared lesser meal worm consumption of cooked versus raw chicken. This research will help us understand which species best converts wastes and allows for more efficient application of insects as food waste upcyclers.