Physicochemical properties of edible cricket oils: Implications for use in pharmaceutical and food industries.

The prevailing global market demands locally produced, sustainable oils for biomedical applications. This study focused on evaluating the quality of cricket-derived oils and meals from Scapsipedus icipe Hugel, Tanga, and Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer common delicacy in Africa, following standard methods for physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, and phytochemicals (oxalates, phytates, tannins, and polyphenols). The cricket oils physicochemical properties aligned with Codex Alimentarius standards for edible oils, including low solidification temperature (< 2 °C), a high refractive index (1.46), and a specific gravity of 0.88. Notably, peroxide values (1.9 to 2.5 mg mEq O2/kg), acid values (1.1 to 2.2 mg KOH/g), and saponification values (234-246 mg KOH/g) all are indicative of lightness and unsaturated fatty acids. Nutritionally, cricket powder was rich in protein (56.8-56.9% -) and fat (31.7-33.5% -of dry matter), with significant amounts of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Predominant saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were palmitic (23.9-31.2 mg/100 g-) and oleic acids (10.9-11.4 mg/100 g- of oil), respectively. Antioxidant values (48.0 to 65.0 mg/100 g), inferred from total polyphenols, suggests a stable oil with long shelf-life. These results highlight the promising and sustainable potential of cricket-derived oils for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Big opportunities for tiny bugs: rush to boost laying hen performance using black soldier fly larvae meal.

Rising feed cost challenges due to expensive conventional protein sources continue to make headlines in Africa causing drops in profit margins. We assessed the impact of insect (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus larvae meal, HILM) protein as a substitute for soybean meal and sunflower seed cake on layer chicken performance and profitability. Our results showed that apart from the growers, chicks (12.37 g/bird) and layer hens (2.02 g/bird) fed diets with 75% HILM inclusion levels had significantly higher average daily weight gain. The average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) varied significantly when the chicks and layer hens were provided with the HILM-based diets. For the chicks and layer hens, the lowest ADFI and FCR were observed in birds subjected to diets with 75% and 100% HILM compared to the growers fed diets with 50% HILM. Significantly higher egg production was observed for layer hens fed diets containing 75% of HILM throughout the first (87.41%) and second (83.05%) phase production cycles. Layer hens fed HILM-based diets had a 3-10% increase in egg laying percentage. There was higher profit margins when birds were fed diets containing 75% of HILM (~1.83 and 5.98 US$ per bird), which mirrored the return on investment estimated at 63.95% and 33.36% for the pullets (growers) and laying hen, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that diets with 75% HILM provided optimum growth performance, reduced feeding costs, increased weight gain and egg production as well as improved economic returns for commercial on-farm poultry production systems.

Evaluating the growth and cost-benefit analysis of feeding improved indigenous chicken with diets containing black soldier fly larva meal.

The high cost of feed has been the major hindrance to a hindrance to the growth, sustainability, profitability, and expansion of poultry production. Black soldier fly larva (BSFL) meal is one of the most promising alternative protein sources widely accepted globally. This study evaluated the growth performance of improved indigenous chicken (IIC)-fed diets containing different inclusion levels of BSFL meals. The BSFL meal inclusion rates included 0% (Diet0), 5% (Diet1), 10% (Diet2), 15% (Diet3), and 20% (Diet4) as replacement to the expensive fish meal in chick and grower diets. Our results showed that diet significantly affected the average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and average daily weight gain of the chicks. The average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio, except average daily feed intake of the growers, was not significantly affected by diets. The gross profit margin, cost-benefit ratio, and return on investment of feeding birds with BSFL meal varied significantly. The highest cost-benefit ratio of 2.12 was recorded for birds fed on Diet4. Our findings demonstrate that insect-based feeds can successfully and cost-effectively replace fish meal up to 20% without compromising the growth performance of the birds. Therefore, BSFL meal could be incorporated as an essential part of poultry feed production for IIC, potentially reducing the total feed cost while maintaining optimal production and reducing the cost of meat and egg products.

From Farm to Fork: Crickets as Alternative Source of Protein, Minerals, and Vitamins.

Globally, there is growing interest to integrate cricket-based ingredients (flour) into food products to combat food and nutrition insecurity. However, there is lack of information on in-depth nutrient profile of the two cricket species (Scapsipedus icipe and Gryllus bimaculatus), which are the most widely consumed in Africa. Here we determined the nutrient composition of two cricket species and compared them with published records of key animal and plant sources. Our results revealed that the crude protein contents of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus were similar (56.8 and 56.9%, respectively) and comparable to those of animal protein sources. Both cricket species had balanced amino acid profiles that are superior to that of animal and plant sources, except for histidine and cysteine. The protein digestibility of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus ranged between 80 and 88%, which is comparable to that of common plant foods but slightly lower than that of animal proteins. The iron, Zinc, and potassium contents were considerably higher in both cricket species compared to that of plant and animal sources. The calcium contents of both crickets (S. icipe and G. bimaculatus) was superior to that of plant and animal origin except for kidney beans and eggs, respectively. Riboflavin, thiamine, and folic acid concentrations of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus were superior to that of the conventional sources. Vitamin A levels were significantly higher in S. icipe compared to G. bimaculatus. This implies that S. icipe and G. bimaculatus can adequately contribute to our daily required nutrient intake. Thus, integrating cricket flours into ready-to-eat food products would address some of the most pressing nutritional deficiency challenges that many developing countries have to grapple with, particularly high risk to serious health problems such as anemia, poor pregnancy outcomes, hypertension, increased risk of morbidity and mortality, stunted growth and impaired physical and cognitive development. We conclude that edible crickets present unique opportunities for improving food and nutritional insecurity status of both resource-poor and Western populations.

Efficiency and Improved Profitability of Insect-Based Aquafeeds for Farming Nile Tilapia Fish (Oreochromis niloticus L.).

In Sub-Saharan Africa, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) make up over 80% of aquaculture production. However, the local aquaculture farmers are restricted by the unavailability and expensive cost of formulated rations. To reduce reliance on the scarce and expensive fishmeal used in fish feeds, alternative insect protein has been successfully utilized in many aquafeeds. However, data on the influence of insect-based feed on the growth and economic benefit of feeding tilapia with the emerging insect-based diet are scanty. This study investigated the effect of partially and completely substituting fishmeal with black soldier fly larval meal (BM) on growth and economic parameters of tilapia. The O. niloticus was fed a standard commercial diet as a control (100% FM; 0% BM), BM33 (67% FM; 33% BM), BM67 (33% FM; 67% BM) and BM100 (0% FM; 100% BM) for 20 weeks in randomly assigned cages mounted in an 800 m2 earthen pond. Results from this study showed that diet type significantly (p < 0.05) affected the feed intake of the fish as well as weight gain. The feed conversion ratio and survival rate of O. niloticus did not vary across the different diets. Fish fed Diet1 had a 15% increase in weight when compared to fish fed the control diet. Return on investment and the cost-benefit ratio was similar across the diets, suggesting that BM is a suitable and cost-equivalent dietary supplement of FM up to 100% in aquafeed for growing tilapia fish in earthen ponds for the market.

The nutritive value of black soldier fly larvae reared on common organic waste streams in Kenya.

In Africa, livestock production currently accounts for about 30% of the gross value of agricultural production. However, production is struggling to keep up with the demands of expanding human populations, the rise in urbanization and the associated shifts in diet habits. High costs of feed prevent the livestock sector from thriving and to meet the rising demand. Insects have been identified as potential alternatives to the conventionally used protein sources in livestock feed due to their rich nutrients content and the fact that they can be reared on organic side streams. Substrates derived from organic by-products are suitable for industrial large-scale production of insect meal. Thus, a holistic comparison of the nutritive value of Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) reared on three different organic substrates, i.e. chicken manure (CM), brewers' spent grain (SG) and kitchen waste (KW), was conducted. BSFL samples reared on every substrate were collected for chemical analysis after the feeding process. Five-hundred (500) neonatal BSFL were placed in 23 × 15 cm metallic trays on the respective substrates for a period of 3-4 weeks at 28 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5% relative humidity. The larvae were harvested when the prepupal stage was reached using a 5 mm mesh size sieve. A sample of 200 grams prepupae was taken from each replicate and pooled for every substrate and then frozen at -20 °C for chemical analysis. Samples of BSFL and substrates were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extracts (EE), ash, acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), amino acids (AA), fatty acids (FA), vitamins, flavonoids, minerals and aflatoxins. The data were then subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using general linear model procedure. BSFL differed in terms of nutrient composition depending on the organic substrates they were reared on. CP, EE, minerals, amino acids, ADF and NDF but not vitamins were affected by the different rearing substrates. BSFL fed on different substrates exhibited different accumulation patterns of minerals, with CM resulting in the largest turnover of minerals. Low concentrations of heavy metals (cadmium and lead) were detected in the BSFL, but no traces of aflatoxins were found. In conclusion, it is possible to take advantage of the readily available organic waste streams in Kenya to produce nutrient-rich BSFL-derived feed.

Effect of Dietary Replacement of Fishmeal by Insect Meal on Growth Performance, Blood Profiles and Economics of Growing Pigs in Kenya.

Pig production is one of the fastest growing livestock sectors. Development of this sector is hampered by rapidly increasing costs of fishmeal (FM), which is a common protein source in animal feeds. Here, we explored the potential of substituting FM with black soldier fly larval meal (BSFLM) on growth and blood parameters of pigs as well as economic aspects. At weaning, 40 hybrid pigs, i.e., crossbreeds of purebred Large White and Landrace were randomly assigned to five iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic dietary treatments: Control (0% BSFLM and 100% FM (T0)), and FM replaced at 25% (T25), 50% (T50), 75% (T75) and 100% (T100) with BSFLM. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated for the whole trial. Hematological and serum biochemical parameters, the cost-benefit ratio (CBR) and return on investment (RoI) were evaluated. No significant effect of diet type was observed on feed intake and daily weight gain. Red or white blood cell indices did not differ among diets. Pigs fed T25, T75 and T100, had lower platelet counts compared to T0 and T50. Dietary inclusion of BSFLM did not affect blood total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein. CBR and RoI were similar for the various diets. In conclusion, BSFLM is a suitable and cost-effective alternative to fishmeal in feed for growing pigs.

Effects of waste stream combinations from brewing industry on performance of Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae).

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been a rapidly growing demand for readily accessible substrates for mass production of Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens Linnaeus. Beer production results in various by-products that typically end up in uncontrolled dumpsites constituting pollution problems, which merits urgent attention. The present study investigated whether the 12 formulated diets composed of brewers' spent grains (BSGs), brewers' yeast and cane molasses can serve as substrate for H. illucens production. METHODS: Four different BSGs were selected and formulated into 12 diets, aiming at varying protein and net energy levels. The diets were offered to newly hatched (∼1 h old) H. illucens larvae and the influence on developmental duration, survival, wet weight, pre-oviposition time, fecundity, and longevity were compared. RESULTS: Developmental duration of the larvae (16-21 days) and pre-pupae (8-11 days) differed significantly across the different diets. The developmental duration of the pupae (8.7-9.1 days) was not affected by diet. The larval (86-99.2%), pre-pupal (71-95%), and pupal (65-91%) survival rates varied significantly between flies reared on the different diets. The pre-oviposition time was similar for flies provided with water (7-11 days) and 10% sugar solution (8-14 days) or across the different diets. The mean fecundity per female ranged from 324-787 eggs and did not differ between females provided with water or sugar solution. However, the number of eggs laid per female varied significantly across the different diets when provided with water. The longevity of starved H. illucens adults was significantly lower (5 days) compared to those provided with water (11-14 days) or sugar solution (14-15 days). DISCUSSION: The implications of these findings as part of a quality control procedure for commercial production of high-quality H. illucens larvae as an alternative protein ingredient in livestock and aquaculture feed are discussed.

Aflatoxin Contamination Detected in Nutrient and Anti-Oxidant Rich Edible Stink Bug Stored in Recycled Grain Containers.

Recently, there has been multi-agency promotion of entomophagy as an environmentally-friendly source of food for the ever increasing human population especially in the developing countries. However, food quality and safety concerns must first be addressed in this context. We addressed these concerns in the present study using the edible stink bug Encosternum delegorguei, which is widely consumed in southern Africa. We analysed for mycotoxins, and health beneficials including antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-Qtof-MS) and coupled gas chromatography (GC)-MS. We also performed proximate analysis to determine nutritional components. We identified the human carcinogen mycotoxin (aflatoxin B1) at low levels in edible stink bugs that were stored in traditonally woven wooden dung smeared baskets and gunny bags previously used to store cereals. However, it was absent in insects stored in clean zip lock bags. On the other hand, we identified 10 fatty acids, of which 7 are considered essential fatty acids for human nutrition and health; 4 flavonoids and 12 amino acids of which two are considered the most limiting amino acids in cereal based diets. The edible stink bug also contained high crude protein and fats but was a poor source of minerals, except for phosphorus which was found in relatively high levels. Our results show that the edible stink bug is a nutrient- and antioxidant-rich source of food and health benefits for human consumption. As such, use of better handling and storage methods can help eliminate contamination of the edible stink bug with the carcinogen aflatoxin and ensure its safety as human food.