Hearts are trumps

Earthworms is a universal factory for the production of eco–friendly and effective fertilizers, high-quality food protein, as well as biologically active components for pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, according to the head of the Department of Plant Protection, TSU Professor Andrey Babenko, who has been engaged in vermicultivation for more than 20 years. 

– At one time, I brought red California worms from the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, known to biologists as one of the most effective waste recycling agents, – says Andrey Sergeevich. – This type "specializes" in feeding with high–calorie organic waste - these are all types of manure, food waste, various substrates with a high nitrogen content, for example, silt from the bottom of lakes and from storage ponds of sewage treatment plants.

The scientist has been experimenting with this culture together with like-minded people for many years. They started by studying the possibilities of California worms to quickly process waste into highly effective fertilizers – the so-called vermicompost. Now the researchers are focusing on the ability of worms to quickly accumulate biomass. 

– In modern agriculture there are highly productive breeds of pigs, cows, chickens, why not create a highly productive breed of worms? This is the same animal husbandry, – Andrey Sergeyevich is convinced. – Worms are protein, and with a very high protein content. Experiments show that it is not inferior to the protein of veal and other valuable breeds of domestic animals. Besides, I jokingly say that this is meat without bones. There are no other organisms on Earth in which the net muscle mass would be over 70 percent.

In order for earthworms to multiply quickly and gain weight, scientists are trying to accustom them to different substrates. For example, they have recently applied for a patent for the use of low–calorie substrates in vermicultivation - different types of plant litter. In addition, they conduct experiments aimed at speeding up the process of processing substrates – by adding various ingredients to the compostable mass.

– The starting population of worms placed in a good substrate increases 10-15 times per year. So vermicultivation can be very cost–effective, – says Andrey Sergeevich. - The degree of processing of worms depends on what kind of product we want to get. Minimal processing is sufficient if the products are intended for feeding livestock. Deep processing is necessary if protein is to be used as an element of human dietary nutrition.

Animal protein, saturated with biologically active substances, is a valuable component for the manufacture of cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations. In East Asian countries – in China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan – there are many factories for the production of medicines based on worm protein. Nevertheless, the demand for these products still exceeds the supply. Therefore, Tomsk scientists have a chance to take their place in the world market. 

– We have recently become residents of the TSU business incubator, - says Andrey Babenko. – One of the goals of our team is to make vermicultivation a profitable business. Today it is relevant in connection with import substitution, the rise of agriculture. Practice shows that if you add protein to the diet of pets, the growth of young animals increases, the yield of cattle increases. So the breeding of earthworms, if properly taken up, can have a positive impact on such an industry as meat and dairy farming.

Of course, questions arise: how harmless are worms that absorb a lot of waste? How safe are the products made from them?

– We constantly analyze both raw materials and the final product – protein flour to make sure that they meet the norm in terms of chemical and sanitary indicators, - says Andrey Babenko. – Our research shows that there is no accumulation of dangerous substances in worms during waste processing. This is due to the fact that we are preparing a compost mixture of uncontaminated substances. In general, if you are engaged in the production of food products, then quality control of all ingredients should be at a high level.

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28.07.2015