Moritz Gold


Last Name

Gold

First Name

Moritz

ORCID

0000-0001-7285-6164

Organisational unit

09571 - Mathys, Alexander / Mathys, Alexander

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2017 - 2019132020 - 202566
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Publications 1 - 10 of 79
  • Validation of a low-cost system for comprehensive characterization of black soldier fly bioconversion
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Fuhrmann, Adrian Julius; Gold, Moritz; Lau Heckmann, Lars-Henrik; et al. (2024)
    Insects to Feed the World 2024
  • Recent findings on environmental sustainability and conversion efficiency of waste-to-protein pathways
    Item type: Review Article
    Siegrist, Armin; Green, Ashley; Gold, Moritz; et al. (2023)
    Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry
    Research on the environmental sustainability and nutrient conversion efficiency of bioconversion technologies applied in waste-to-protein pathways is relevant from an early development stage on to identify optimal applications. This review summarizes the recent advances and remaining issues in this emerging research field. While black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have been intensively studied, various other technologies such as other insect species, bacteria, fungi, microalgae, and worms, are currently underrepresented. Regarding environmental sustainability, which is mainly studied through life cycle assessment, the choice of functional unit is highly relevant for overall outcomes and comparability. Additionally, decisions on the burden of input materials and process substitution strongly influence the overall results. Substrates composed of different residual biomass streams strongly influence the process efficiency of BSFL, which is commonly expressed in feed conversion and protein efficiency rates. In contrast, residual biomass type, protein content, and amino acid profile are of minor importance for the protein composition of BSFL. Overall, the large variability of residual biomass types and bioconversion technologies necessitates better methodological alignment to produce comparable results across studies that collectively support decision-making.
  • What’s the optimal blend of biowaste for reliable and efficient black soldier fly larvae treatment
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Gold, Moritz; Cassar, Cecille M.; Ireri, Davis; et al. (2019)
    Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) treatment is a technology for faecal sludge and organic solid waste treatment. Next to reducing waste by up to 70%, it produces insect biomass that has a high market value when sold as animal feed. It can thus provide an incentive for waste collection and treatment in low and middle-income countries. A reliable input of waste with a high process performance is vital for the financially viable operation of BSFL treatment. In reality, due to competing uses and poor waste management (e.g. mixing of wastes with inorganics), available wastes typically have a poor and variable process performance in BSFL treatment. This is likely due their low, variable and unbalanced nutrient characteristics. Previous research identified that protein and carbohydrate content influences larval performance. Our research assessed whether blending of different waste sources to a similar protein and carbohydrate content reduces performance variability and increases efficiency. Six different wastes (cow manure, human faeces, millings, poultry slaughterhouse waste and two types of canteen waste) were analysed for proteins, carbohydrates, fibres, ash and lipids. Six different blends were then prepared, using the aforementioned wastes. Formulations contained 14 19% dm proteins and 13-15% dm digestible carbohydrates. They were fed to larvae in a controlled environment. After nine days, the performance was determined and the results compared to a feeding experiment with the six individual wastes and to a control (poultry feed). Results demonstrate that the blends reduced the waste reduction variability. In addition, formulations had a higher median waste reduction than poultry feed. However, especially bioconversion rate was still variable between the formulations, likely due to different amounts of lipids and fibres. In future applications, variability in nutrients other than proteins and carbohydrates should be kept smaller. Practitioners need to consider the availability of several biowastes when planning and operating BSFL treatment facilities to be able to provide a reliable and efficient larval diet.
  • Physical properties of food waste influence the efficiency of black soldier fly larvae bioconversion via microbial activity
    Item type: Journal Article
    Fuhrmann, Adrian Julius; Gold, Moritz; Loh Ker, Rebecca; et al. (2025)
    Journal of Environmental Management
    Black soldier fly larvae bioconversion is an emerging industrial technology for more sustainable waste management and feed production. Recycling heterogenous food waste using the larvae can present challenges, including excessive heat production, variable CO2 emissions, and low bioconversion efficiency. This study investigated how ascending levels of food waste bulk density affect microbial activity, temperature, CO2 emissions, and bioconversion efficiency. A 7-day feeding trial was conducted, using industrial rearing crates (10,800 larvae, 25 mg dry food waste larva−1 day−1) in respiration chambers. Three food waste bulk densities were created with cocopeat (0.8 g cm−3, 0.6 g cm−3, 0.5 g cm−3), while keeping food waste quantity and moisture constant. Substrate temperature, larval and microbial CO2 production, dry larval mass, and microbial abundance (quantitative PCR) were monitored. Food waste bulk density impacted the bioconversion strongly. With the lowest bulk density, the bioconversion rate dropped by 19 percentage-points, the average temperature rose by 8.8 °C, and microbial CO2 increased by up to 229 %. An initial spike in microbial CO2 coincided with fungal growth that was replaced by bacterial growth after day 2. The results suggested that food waste with a lower bulk density is better aerated, promoting CO2 emissions and heat generation through microbial activity. These findings demonstrate how modifications of the bulk density can regulate CO2 emissions, heat production and the bioconversion efficiency of black soldier fly larvae systems. We discuss the resulting potential solutions towards a more sustainable and efficient industrial waste management.
  • Substitution of soy components – Does feeding hens with insect-based diets impair performance?
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Heuel, Maike; Sandrock, Christoph; Mathys, Alexander; et al. (2019)
    Conference Proceedings of the 1st AgroVet-Strickhof Conference. Current and Future Research Projects
  • Bioconversion of aflatoxin-contaminated agri-food by-products with fly larvae into animal feed
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Gold, Moritz; Niermans, Kelly; Heuel, Maike; et al. (2022)
  • Black soldier fly larvae as a substitute for soybean in the diets of laying hens
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Heuel, Maike; Sandrock, Christoph; Mathys, Alexander; et al. (2020)
    Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
  • Conversion of mycotoxin-contaminated maize by black soldier fly larvae into feed and fertilizer
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Gold, Moritz; Niermans, Kelly; Jooste, Frans; et al. (2023)
    BSF CON 2023: The Book of Abstracts
    Globally, large amounts of various crops such as cereals, oilseeds, nuts and spices are contaminated with mycotoxins during pre-harvest, postharvest handling, processing and/or storage. Mycotoxin contamination results into economic and health issues, and valorisation options of contaminated crops are urgently needed. The aim of this research was to evaluate whether quality feed and fertilizer can be safely produced from naturally mycotoxin contaminated crops using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens L.) under realistic field conditions in East Africa. Naturally mycotoxin contaminated maize (corn; Zea mays L.) was used as a model due its prevalence as food and feed and utilized by BSFL together with local agri-food by-products at a research facility in Rwanda. To assess the influence of the initial maize mycotoxin contamination and maize inclusion, larval diets with three mycotoxin contamination level and two maize inclusion levels were tested. BSFL were tolerant against the high mycotoxin concentrations (e.g. 99.4 μg aflatoxin B1 kg dry mass-1) as the presence of mycotoxins in the substrate did not affect BSFL mass. Product safety was assessed by quantifying the presence of 38 common and emerging mycotoxins and metabolites in the maize, substrates and BSFL products (e.g. larvae and frass). The results show that it is possible to produce feed and fertilizer with BSFL considered safe within EU and East African legal limits from maize contaminated with mycotoxin contaminated maize typical for East Africa. Thereby, this research works towards the safe recycling of nutrients from mycotoxin contaminated maize within the food system in East Africa and beyond.
  • Multicriteria overlay to identify favorable regions for black soldier fly larvae bioconversion worldwide
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Gold, Moritz; Diener, Stefan; Siber, Rosi; et al. (2022)
    Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
  • Low energy electron beam to support safe whole dried insect products
    Item type: Journal Article
    Peguero, Daniela A.; Gold, Moritz; Duewell, Tim; et al. (2024)
    Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
    Product safety is a major concern when using edible insects and insect-derived products due to insects’ diverse microbial community. Therefore, development of reliable post-processing treatments are required. Commonly used thermal treatments are effective against microorganisms but can have negative effects on product quality and nutritional value. Low-energy electron beam (LEEB) is an emerging non-thermal surface treatment technology for microbial decontamination of low water activity goods while preserving product quality. However, its potential application as an insect post-processing treatment has not been explored. To assess the effectiveness of LEEB treatment (250 keV and 12 kGy), three separate experiments were conducted with dried black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and yellow mealworm (YMW). First, to assess LEEB’s potential in inactivating microorganisms in insect products, LEEB treatment was conducted on dried BSFL inoculated with Escherichia coli K-12. Secondly, the effect of LEEB treatment on reducing naturally occurring microbial populations after microwave drying was evaluated. Finally, a six-month controlled shelf-life study (24 °C, 65% RH) was conducted to assess the long-term efficacy of LEEB treatment by monitoring physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. LEEB achieved a 4-log₁₀ reduction of inoculated E. coli K-12 on dried BSFL and was effective in reducing numbers of all microbiological parameters (aerobic and anaerobic counts) in YMW. Specifically, in non-inoculated samples, aerobic and anaerobic total viable counts (TVC) were reduced by approximately 4-log₁₀ colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) in YMW. In contrast, LEEB treatment moderately reduced microbial numbers in BSFL, with aerobic and anaerobic TVC reduced by approximately 1–2-log₁₀ cfu/g following LEEB treatment. Microbial counts in both BSFL and YMW remained lower than the control throughout the shelf-life. LEEB treatment did not have an influence on the peroxide value. Therefore, LEEB can be an effective and gentle processing technique to support safe dried insect products.
Publications 1 - 10 of 79