Intrexon Corporation, a leader in synthetic biology, has agreed to acquire the business of EnviroFlight LLC and form a joint venture with Darling Ingredients Inc, the world\'s largest publicly-traded developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from bio-nutrients.

EnviroFlight has developed proprietary technologies which enable the rearing of non-pathogenic black soldier fly (BSF) larvae in an industrially scalable manner. This innovative approach has considerable potential within the $60 billion global animal feed industry tp provide an environmentally-friendly, toxin-free, sustainable source of high-value nutrients.

\"Current trends in human population growth drive increased demand for protein supply in food production, and we believe that BSF larvae provide the potential to revolutionize the animal feed industries,\" said Corey Huck, senior vice president and head of Intrexon\'s food sector.

\"Through our partnership with Darling, we look forward to creating high-nutrition, low environmental impact animal and fish feed as well as fertilizer products.\"

Within the fish market, BSF larvae may be more representative of the typical diet of these natural insectivores than soymeal and other plant-based meal regimens.

\"Black Soldier Fly larvae meal may represent a very useful ingredient in aquaculture and importantly it has no impact on the marine ecosystem,\" stated Rick Barrows, PhD, Research Physiologist for Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture.

\"Starter diets for rainbow trout incorporating BSF larvae meal resulted in an increase in feed consumption and growth, showing high palatability, suggesting it could be useful with some of the more finicky species such as salmon and yellowtail. Furthermore, we have also found the essential nutrients in BSF larvae meal to have high digestibility,\" he added.