Ÿnsect has just gained approval for its natural insect fertilizer, ŸnFrass, issued by ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety. The fertiliser is derived from the insect waste – or frass – of the mealworm Tenebrio Molitor which feeds on cereal by-products at Ÿnsect’s factory in Dole (France). Called ŸnFrass, the product is the fruit of 4 years of research and development between Ÿnsect and several leading institutions and it can now be used in organic farming in accordance with regulation no. 384/2007.
ŸnFrass’s first customers include Compo Group, a European leader in plant nutrition for amateur gardeners and Torres, one of the most admired European wine brands.
Antoine Hubert, Ÿnsect CEO: “This certification and market approval is the result of the most stringent evaluation procedures for this type of products and is a guarantee of the highest quality, giving us the ability to export globally. Since the opening of Ÿnsite, our pilot plant four years ago, Ÿnsect has sought to use the by-products of protein production from Molitor, in particular the insect waste called frass. The marketing of ŸnFrass products by Ÿnsect is part of a “zero waste” vision using all components of the farmed insect and contributing to a more circular economy. Ÿnsect is committed to becoming a valuable partner to farmers, professional and amateur gardeners and winemakers by offering high-performance natural fertilizers to complete the nutrition cycle."
ŸnFrass has multiple value adding properties for the fertilizer market. It has significant competitive advantages and offers in a single product:
- Nutritive elements: ŸnFrass is balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK = 4-3-2) for optimal plant nutrition.
- Organic matter: ŸnFrass has an exceptional organic matter content of 85%, perfectly suited for the improvement of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil.
- Optimised format and use: ŸnFrass is a dry product in the form of granules (90% dry matter), odourless and easily transportable.
Ÿnsect has devoted 4 years of research, in partnership with renowned research institutes, to develop its natural fertilizer ŸnFrass and to study its impact on crops and soils. The results in the fields and greenhouse tests carried out in cooperation with the project partners, are very encouraging. Tests show a significant increase in biomass and yield on all of the crops tested compared to the use of a 100% chemical fertilizer. In addition, while ensuring the delivery of essential elements for crops, ŸnFrass improves the biological properties of soils. The greenhouse tests show that microbial activity increases sharply in the presence of ŸnFrass (+180% on loamy-clay soil and +250% on luvisol) compared to soil fertilized with a mineral fertilizer. ŸnFrass is therefore helping to increase the organic matter present and improve the texture of the soil.
After a first conclusive test on large crops such as wheat, rapeseed and corn in 2018, ŸnFrass was tested on other types of crops where the product also demonstrated performance in terms of yield, in particular:
- In vegetable cultivation where the results of the tests are very encouraging, particularly on lettuce and potatoes, both in terms of yield and health.
- On vines, a 23% increase in yield and better soil quality was observed compared to the control without fertilization. The use of ŸnFrass also makes it possible to observe an excellent balance of nutrients in the petioles, suggesting an improved quality of the wine.
- On ornamental plants, especially roses, where there is a marked improvement in blooming and better resistance to summer drought compared to an organic fertilizer with equivalent nutrient content.