Overview

Black Soldier Flies (BSF) are emerging as a promising tool for waste, nutrient and disease management in the oil palm industry. BSF larvae can play a significant role in managing oil palm biomass waste and by-products. They efficiently convert oil palm wastes and/or by-products into valuable resources, ie a protein source in animal feed - reducing the need for traditional feed ingredients like soy and fishmeal, and organic biofertiliser from its frass - which has increasingly high antifungal effect against Ganoderma boninense. This aligns perfectly with the principles of the circular economy in which BSF reduces carbon footprint by diverting organic waste from landfills, thereby minimising the emission of methane.

The circular solutions, not only benefit the environment and help mitigate climate change, they also provide cost-saving measures and avenues for income generation for growers and smallholders by preventing fungal diseases, better yield and high nutrient efficiency. The integration of BSF in the oil palm industry is alien but can become a potential tool to boost the industry more responsibly and sustainably.

Speaker

Rezuwan Zakaria, Research and Development Manager - Biotechnology, Nutrition Technologies Sdn Bhd

Rezuwan holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in industrial chemistry and a Master of Science (MSc.) in chemistry from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). He is currently the R&D manager (Biotechnology) at Singapore-headquartered multinational biotech firm – Nutrition Technologies, and working on upstream and downstream biotech R&D from metabolite engineering to synthetic biology for sustainable protein. His current industrial research interests include precision fermentation for feed, scale-up microbial bioprocessing, biofortification for feed and industrial bio-wastes, bioplastic from industrial bio-wastes and biofertilisers.

Diptia ® and Vitalis TM, bioactive fertilisers, are patented technology for soil and plant health especially against fungal pathogens, ie Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense TR4 (Foc TR4) and Ganoderma boninense. This technology is a breakthrough from his R&D Division.

He has worked in academic and industrial R&D, and commercialisation for the last 21 years and specialises in merging on-the-ground research with the market gaps and consumer needs. He joined the industry and got involved in multiple commercial applied R&D ventures, technology transfers, fundraising, spun off multiple companies from GLCs to the current biotechnological exploration in sustainable protein innovation.

He previously served as managing director and head of laboratories of Johor Thoyyiban Laboratories Sdn. Bhd. (JTLab) – a commercial testing company that offers industrial testing, verification, and inspection to various products. He championed a new venture with a 100-year old plus Japanese conglomerate which entered the Southeast Asian market. He has served on the board of a few companies under J-Biotech Group. He has coordinated and managed the commercialisation and spin off R&D division in J-Biotech that leads to the formation of JTLab TM and two more subsidiaries focusing on biotechnology business for commercial purpose. He spun off and led JTLab™ — testing lab with over 500 testing solutions and ISO/IEC 17025 accredited. He also led R&D arm for a GLC — J-Biotech Group. Raised ~MYR30mil. fund for interdisciplinary and translational R&D and commercialisation. Spun off three companies — commercial testing lab, biofertilizer and aquapoultry.

He has a strong networking with local research institutions and stakeholders and thus, an asset for companies he works for. Working with top MNC has been his prime goal! He innovates ways of thinking and doing things to suit market needs. Interdisciplinary and translational industrial R&D are his most favourites. Microbial cell factories, synthetic biology and metabolite bioengineering, precision fermentation and their overall chemical reactions are his highly valued passion.

Being active in commercial R&D, technology and innovation has made him actively contributes to professional networking and national higher education. He is a member of American Chemical Society (ACS), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He actively contributes to academic and now serving as adjunct lecturer (applied chemistry) in Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) – 2nd best local university (Times Higher Education 2022) and as as an industrial advisory for UTP, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). He has been regularly invited for consultations with authorities and recently by Akademi Sains Malaysia (ASM) for the new national biotechnology masterplan and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) for the food security committee.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.