Fly larvae for feeding animals will be produced

In the interview with Agencia de Noticias UN, Pedraza, who asserted that his labor at Marengo was of personal interest, mentioned that this project will begin in 2012. "We are making some technical adjustments," asserted the researcher.

This program aims at giving a good use of the larvae that are generated in animal excretions, birds in this case, to take advantage of the proteins, shaped as nutritional supplement for the animals.

"The objective of this Protein Production System for Animal Consumption is that it begins with the recuperation and processing of organic residues, excretions in this case. Likewise, we want to develop new production systems with added value in the recuperation of organic residues," asserted Pedraza.

He also mentioned that the process is environmentally sustainable, since the natural cycles are used. "This is a good alternative. Instead of wasting this "waste", what we do is a scale model of a very famous concept in the world called biofactory, which is the reproduction of larva to produce protein," asserted the expert.

He mentioned that price reduction with this program is impressive, since alimentation is the most expensive item in animal production.

"We are using studies performed by the University as reference, and we want to experience the process and establish standards that can be used by people who are interested in this basic technology. We are sure that it will impact food security," asserted the researcher.

Also in medicine      

Larva can be also used in medicine. As it is well known, in the East, larva therapy has been used for thousands of years, in the West is only used in amputation cases, diabetes type II, and other diseases that can be catastrophic or cause death.

Hilderman Pedraza, a student of the Master in Alternative Medicine at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, asserted that the university has performed pioneer studies in this field, such as those made by Gloria Patricia Arango, an entomologist from Medellin Campus and Professor Rodrigo Vergara