MINIstock: Model for INsect Inclusion in sustainable agriculture: USDA-ARS's research approach to advancing insect meal development and inclusion in animal diets.

Animal agriculture is under pressure to increase efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to meet the demands of a rising global population while decreasing adverse environmental effects. Feed cost and availability are 2 of the biggest hurdles to sustainable production. Current diets depend on sources of grain and animal byproduct protein for essential amino acids which have limited sustainability. Insects have arisen as an attractive, sustainable alternative protein source for animal diets due to their favorable nutrient composition, low space and water requirements, and natural role in animal diets. Additionally, insects are capable of bioremediating waste streams including agricultural and food waste, manure, and plastics helping to increase their sustainability. The insect rearing industry has grown rapidly in recent years and shows great economic potential. However, state-of-the-art research is urgently needed to overcome barriers to adoption in commercial animal diets such as regulatory restrictions, production scale issues, and food safety concerns. To address this need, the USDA Agricultural Research Service "MINIstoc: Model for INsect Inclusion" project was created to bring together diverse scientists from across the world to synergistically advance insect meal production and inclusion in animal diets. Here, we provide a short review of insects as feed while describing the MINIstock project which serves as the inspiration for the Journal of Economic Entomology Special Collection "Insects as feed: sustainable solutions for food waste and animal production practices."

The Effects of Slaughter Methods and Drying Temperatures on the Protein Hydrolysis of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal.

In recent years, the potential of insects as a sustainable protein alternative to feed the growing world population has been explored. Differences in the ways insects are processed can affect their proximate composition and digestibility. This work studied the effects of the combination of different types of slaughter methods and drying temperatures on the proximate composition, organic matter digestibility (OMd), hydrolysis degree (DH/NH2 and DH/100 g DM), total hydrolysis (TH), and hygienic and sanitary characteristics of BSFL (black soldier fly larvae) meal. Four types of slaughter methods were used including freezing (F), blanching + freezing (B), Melacide® + freezing (M), and liquid nitrogen slaughter (N). Each of these was used with three drying temperatures (50, 70, and 90 °C). A negative correlation between the acid detergent fiber (ADF) and protein digestibility parameters was obtained. The most suitable drying temperature was 70 °C, as it produced higher values of protein digestibility (DH and TH), resulting in hygienic and sanitary conditions suitable for food use. Slaughtering with liquid nitrogen and blanching was more conducive to achieving high protein digestibility results than traditional freezing or the use of Melacide®.

Growth, Hepatic Enzymatic Activity, and Quality of European Seabass Fed on Hermetia illucens and Poultry By-Product Meal in a Commercial Farm.

Protein meals from insects in combination with poultry by-product meal appear to be promising ingredients for replacing conventional proteins in the diets of carnivorous fish. The present study explored the effects on growth performance, hepatic enzymatic activity, and fillet physical and nutritional characteristics during a 66-day feeding trial performed on European seabass. A total of 3000 fish were distributed into three tanks, where the control group was fed with a commercial diet (CG) and a second group was fed in duplicate with the experimental diet (SSH) containing 10% Hermetia illucens larva meal, 30% poultry by-product meal, and <5.5 g/100 g of feed of marine origin proteins. All fish showed good growth performance. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities were higher in the SSH group than in the CG group. The fillet fatty acid profile was largely unaffected by diet, except for a few fatty acids. Fish fed the SSH diet had a lower C22:1n-11 content than CG, thus suggesting an increased ß-oxidation. The oxidative status of muscle lipids was not affected by the diet. In conclusion, the present study showed that European seabass can be successfully fed the SSH diet for two months in a commercial setting.

Assessing the Socio-Economic Benefits and Costs of Insect Meal as a Fishmeal Substitute in Livestock and Aquaculture.

Sustainability targets set by the United Nations, such as Zero Hunger by 2030, encourage the search for innovative solutions to enhance food production while preserving the environment. Alternative protein sources for feed, while conventional resources like soymeal and fishmeal become more expensive and scarcer, is one of the possibilities. Studies on substituting fishmeal with insect meal show promising results in terms of animal growth and feed efficiency. This paper aims to assess the socio-economic benefits and costs of insect meal substituting fishmeal in feed and to highlight the factors influencing performance most. The study evaluates the economic value of insect-based products, waste reduction, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions as socio-economic benefits. It combines empirical data derived from laboratory trials and two case studies covering black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). Current analyses reveal negative socio-economic balances, emphasizing that reduction of operating and investment costs through upscaling and technological advancements can give a positive move, as well as factors such as current market valuations for nutrients can change significantly. Thus, a negative balance at the moment does not mean that insect rearing, and larva processing are not desirable from a long-term socio-economic perspective.

Insect meal in aquafeeds: A sustainable path to enhanced mucosal immunity in fish.

The mucosal surfaces of fish, including their intestines, gills, and skin, are constantly exposed to various environmental threats, such as water quality fluctuations, pollutants, and pathogens. However, various cells and microbiota closely associated with these surfaces work in tandem to create a functional protective barrier against these conditions. Recent research has shown that incorporating specific feed ingredients into fish diets can significantly boost their mucosal and general immune response. Among the various ingredients being investigated, insect meal has emerged as one of the most promising options, owing to its high protein content and immunomodulatory properties. By positively influencing the structure and function of mucosal surfaces, insect meal (IM) has the potential to enhance the overall immune status of fish. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits of incorporating IM into aquafeed as a feed ingredient for augmenting the mucosal immune response of fish.

Dietary Tenebrio molitor larvae meal effects on cellular stress responses, antioxidant status and intermediate metabolism of Oncorhynchus mykiss.

In the context of evaluating the impact of environmentally friendly and sustainably produced alternative protein sources in fish feed, the present study's aim was to examine the overall physiological stress response in one of the main fish species of European freshwater aquaculture, Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout), following the partial substitution of fish meal (FM) with a Tenebrio molitor (TM) (yellow mealworm) full-fat meal. In total, 222 rainbow trout individuals (115.2 ± 14.2 g) were allocated randomly into six tanks, three per dietary treatment, and were fed a formulated diet containing 60% yellow mealworm (TM60) compared to a control diet without insect meal (TM0). Both diets contained equal amounts of crude protein, dry matter and, lipid content, while the FM in TM60 was 100 g kg-1 corresponding to the one seventh of the TM0. Heat shock response (HSR), MAPK signalling, cell death pathways (apoptosis and autophagy), antioxidant defence mechanisms, and intermediate metabolism were evaluated. In general, HSR and MAPK signalling were activated in response to the inclusion of T. molitor. Moreover, triggering of apoptotic and autophagic processes and the onset of antioxidant defence mechanisms underlined the existence of physiological stress. Despite the apparent dietary-induced stress, rainbow trout in the present study exhibited no mortality and no significant effects regarding growth performance parameters. Specifically, TM60 dietary inclusion resulted in no changes in final body weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate. However, feed intake depicted a statistically significant decrease in TM60 fish compared to TM0 individuals. Nevertheless, nutrient stress should be considered a limiting factor regarding the utilization of T. molitor in O. mykiss diet due to the associated risks for health and welfare.

The Replacement of Fish Meal with Poultry By-Product Meal and Insect Exuviae: Effects on Growth Performance, Gut Health and Microbiota of the European Seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax.

This study addressed the urgent need for sustainable protein sources in aquaculture due to the depletion of marine resources and rising costs. Animal protein sources, particularly poultry by-product meal (PBM) and insect exuviae meal, were investigated as viable alternatives to fishmeal (FM). The research study confirmed the successful replacement of FM with a combination of PBM and insect exuviae meal (up to 50%) in the diet of European seabass without compromising growth, feed conversion, gut health, and liver fat content. In particular, growth was robust with both PBM formulations, with the 25% PBM diet showing better results. Histological examinations showed good gut and liver health, contradicting the concerns of previous studies. This paper emphasizes the importance of holistic analyzes that go beyond growth parameters and include histomorphological investigations. The results show that PBM in combination with insect/exuviae meal is well tolerated by seabass, which is consistent with reports in the literature of it mitigating negative effects on gut health. A detailed analysis of the microbiota revealed a decrease in the Firmicutes/Proteobacteria ratio due to an increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria. However, the formulation containing insect exuviae partially counteracted this effect by preserving the beneficial Lactobacillus and promoting the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly butyrate. Chitin-rich components from insect exuviae were associated with improved gut health, which was supported by the increased production of SCFAs, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. This paper concludes that a combination of PBM and insect/exuviae meal can replace up to 50% of FM in the diet of seabass, supporting sustainable aquaculture practices. Despite some changes in the microbiota, the negative effects are mitigated by the addition of insect exuviae, highlighting their potential as a prebiotic to increase fish productivity and contribute to a circular economy in aquaculture.

Effect of replacing soybean meal with Hermetia illucens meal on cecal microbiota, liver transcriptome, and plasma metabolome of broilers.

Despite the existence of a number of studies investigating the effect of insect meal on the growth performance of broilers, knowledge about the metabolic effects of insect meal in broilers is still scarce. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of partial replacement of soybean meal with Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal on the liver transcriptome, the plasma metabolome, and the cecal microbiota in broilers. For the study, 72 male one-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were divided into three groups and fed 3 different diets with either 0% (HI0), 7.5% (HI7.5), or 15% (HI15) defatted HI meal for 35 d. Each group consisted of 6 cages (replicates) with 4 broilers/cage. While body weight (BW) gain, feed intake, and feed:gain ratio did not differ between groups, breast muscle weight, carcass yield, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of 5 amino acids were higher in group HI15 than in group HI0 (P < 0.05). Indicators of α-diversity (Chao1 and Observed) in the cecal digesta were higher in groups HI15 and HI7.5 than in group HI0 (P < 0.05). The abundance of 5 families and 18 genera, all of which belonged to the Firmicutes phylum, in the cecal digesta differed among groups (P < 0.05). Concentrations of butyric acid, valeric acid, and isobutyric acid in the cecal digesta were lower in group HI15 than in the other 2 groups (P < 0.05), whereas those of total and other short-chain fatty acids were not different between groups. Liver transcriptomics revealed a total of 70 and 61 differentially expressed transcripts between groups HI15 vs. HI0 and between groups HI7.5 vs. HI0, respectively, (P < 0.05). Targeted metabolomics identified 138 metabolites, most of which were triglyceride species, being different between the 3 groups (FDR < 0.05). According to this study, dietary inclusion of HI larvae meal has no detrimental impact but increases breast muscle weight and carcass weight in broilers suggesting that HI larvae meal can be recommended as a sustainable alternative protein source for broilers.

Assessment of Full-Fat Tenebrio molitor as Feed Ingredient for Solea senegalensis: Effects on Growth Performance and Lipid Profile.

Tenebrio molitor (TM) is considered as one of the most promising protein sources for replacing fish meal in aquafeeds, among other things because it is rich in protein, a good source of micronutrients and has a low carbon footprint and land use. However, the main drawback of TM is its fatty acid profile, in particular its low content of n-3 PUFA. This study evaluates the effects of partially replacing plant or marine-derived with full-fat TM meal at two different levels on growth performance and lipid profiles of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). For this purpose, a control diet (CTRL) and four experimental isoproteic (53%) and isolipidic (16%) diets were formulated containing 5 and 10% TM meal replacing mostly fish meal (FM5 and FM10), or 10 and 15% TM meal replacing mostly plant meal (PP10 and PP15). Fish (215 g) were fed at 1% of their body weight for 98 days. The final body weight of fish fed the experimental diets containing TM meal was not different from that of fish fed the CTRL diet (289 g). However, the inclusion of TM meal resulted in a gradual improvement in growth rate and feed efficiency in both cases (replacement of fish or plant meals), and significant differences in specific growth rate (SGR) were observed between fish fed the CTRL diet (SGR = 0.30% day-1) and those fed diets with the highest TM meal content (PP15; SGR = 0.35% day-1). The experimental groups did not show any differences in the protein content of the muscle (19.6% w/w). However, significant differences were observed in the total lipid content of the muscle, with the FM10, PP10, and PP15 groups having the lowest muscle lipid contents (2.2% ww). These fish also showed the lowest neutral lipid content in muscle (6.6% dw), but no differences were observed in the total phospholipid content (2.6% dw). Regarding the fatty acid profile, fish fed FM10, PP10 and PP15 had lower levels of linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and higher levels of oleic acid (18:1n-9) in liver and muscle compared to fish fed CTRL. However, no differences were found between fish fed CTRL and TM-based diets for docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) and total n-3 PUFA in liver and muscle. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that full-fat TM inclusion up to 15% in S. senegalensis diets had no negative effects or even some positive effects on fish survival, growth performance, nutrient utilization and flesh quality.

Evaluation of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal on Growth, Body Composition, Immune Responses, and Antioxidant Capacity of Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) Juveniles.

This study investigated the effects of substituting fish meal (FM) with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal (BSM) on the growth performance, body composition, immune response, and antioxidant enzyme activity of juvenile redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus). Four isonitrogenous (41%) and isolipidic (11%) diets (i.e., FM substitutes) were formulated from BSM prepared using larvae that were fed soybean meal (BSM-S), fishery byproducts (BSM-F), or pitaya (BSM-P). The experimental diets were fed twice daily to triplicate groups of juvenile redclaw crayfish (0.56 ± 0.04 g). After the feed trial, the FM and BSM-F groups exhibited significantly lower feed conversion ratios and significantly higher weight gain; specific growth rates; and concentrations of saturated fatty acids, highly unsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid in the muscle. Among the tested groups, the BSM-F group exhibited significantly enhanced immune responses and increased antioxidant enzyme activity (i.e., superoxide dismutase, phenoloxidase, and glutathione peroxidase); the BSM-P group exhibited a significantly higher feed intake and hepatopancreatic index; and the FM group exhibited a significantly higher muscle body index and apparent digestibility for the dry matter of crude protein. The findings indicate that the juvenile redclaw crayfish fed BSM-F achieved the highest weight gain among the groups.

Effect of three different insect larvae on growth performance and antioxidant activity of thigh, breast, and liver tissues of chickens reared under mild heat stress.

This study investigated the potential of insect-based diets to mitigate heat stress impact on broiler chickens, focusing on growth performance and antioxidant stability. Four dietary groups were examined, including a control and three treated groups with Tenebrio molitor (TM), Hermetia illucens (HI), and Zophobas morio (ZM) larvae, respectively, at a 5% replacement ratio. Temperature and relative humidity of the poultry house were monitored. Under heat stress conditions, the HI-fed group consistently exhibited the highest body weight, demonstrating their remarkable growth-promoting potential. TM-fed broilers also displayed commendable growth compared to the control. Insect larvae inclusion in the diet improved feed intake during early growth stages, indicating their positive influence on nutrient utilization. Regarding antioxidant stability, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the liver, an oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation marker, were significantly lower in the TM-fed group, suggesting reduced oxidative stress. While the specific insect-based diet did not significantly affect MDA levels in thigh and breast tissues, variations in the total phenolic content (TPC) were observed across tissues, with HI larvae significantly increasing it in the breast. However, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) levels did not differ significantly among dietary groups in the examined tissues. Results suggest that insect-based diets enhance broiler growth and potentially reduce oxidative stress, particularly in the liver. Dietary presence of bioactive compounds may contribute to these benefits. Further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying these findings. Insect-based diets seem to offer promise as feed additives in addressing the multifaceted challenges of oxidative stress and enhancing broiler health and resilience under heat stress conditions.

Black soldier fly larvae meal as a potential modulator of immune, inflammatory, and antioxidant status in gilthead seabream juveniles.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fish meal (FM) replacement with defatted Hermetia illucens larvae meal (HM) on the hematological profile, immune parameters, intestinal inflammatory status, and antioxidant response in gilthead seabream juveniles. Four diets were formulated, replacing FM with HM at 0%, 22%, 60%, and 100% levels, corresponding to an inclusion level of 15 (diet HM15), 30 (diet HM30), and 45% (diet HM45), respectively. Over 67 days, fish were fed these diets until apparent visual satiation. Results showed no significant differences in immune parameters or hematological profiles, except for a decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. In the liver, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione peroxidase decreased linearly with HM content, especially at 100% replacement. Glutathione reductase activity was also reduced with HM inclusion, being lower in fish fed diet HM30 compared to the control. Fish fed diet HM15 showed lower hepatic superoxide dismutase activity, while catalase activity and lipid peroxidation remained unaffected. In the intestine, antioxidant enzyme activity was not influenced by HM, but lipid peroxidation linearly decreased with HM inclusion, being lower in the HM30 diet compared to the control. The inclusion of HM reduced the expression of intestinal pro-inflammatory genes (interleukin-1ß and cyclooxygenase-2) while the expression of transforming growth factor ß was higher in fish fed diet HM30 compared to the control and HM45 diets. In conclusion, up to 45% dietary inclusion of HM showed no adverse effects, improving liver antioxidant status, reducing intestinal oxidative stress, and regulating inflammatory gene expression.

Combined Dietary Supplementation of Tenebrio molitor Larvae and Chitosan in Growing Pigs: A Pilot Study.

Nowadays, the global animal industry faces considerable challenges in securing sufficient feed resources. Responding to consumer demands for reduced use of antibiotics in animal nutrition, better animal welfare status, and reduced impact on the environment, there is an increased urgency to develop innovative functional feeds with a reduced environmental footprint and the ability to improve meat quality and safety. In an effort to explore innovative feed ingredients for growing pig diets, the combined dietary supplementation of Tenebrio molitor larvae and chitosan was investigated. An experimental trial was performed with 48 weaned pigs (34 days of life; mixed sex) that were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (with six males and six females each): Group A (control), Group B (supplemented with T. molitor larvae at 10%), Group C (supplemented with chitosan at 0.05%), and Group D (supplemented with both ingredients at 10% and 0.05%, respectively). On the 42nd day of the experimental trial, samples of blood, feces, and carcass parts were taken for analysis. The results indicated that the insect larvae meal significantly improved (p < 0.05) overall performance, increased (p < 0.05) blood red blood cell content, increased meat phenolic content (p < 0.05), improved meat oxidative stability (p < 0.05), and affected meat fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). On the other hand, chitosan had no significant effect on overall performance (p > 0.05), but it significantly increased blood lymphocyte content (p < 0.05), affected the fecal microbiota (p < 0.05), improved meat oxidative stability (p < 0.05), increased meat phenolic content (p < 0.05), and affected meat fatty acid composition (p < 0.05) and (p < 0.05) meat color. Finally, the combined use of both T. molitor and chitosan significantly affected some important zootechnical parameters (p < 0.05), fecal microbial populations (p < 0.05), meat color (p < 0.05), and fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). Further investigation into the potential interaction between insect larvae meals and chitosan in pig diets is advised.

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal improves quail growth performance.

The aim of the present study was to determine the nutritional value of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal for quail (experiment I) and the dose-response effects of BSF levels on growth performance, relative organ weight, and body composition of growing quails (experiment II). In experiment I, 100 35-day-old quail were distributed in a completely randomized design, with two treatments (reference and test diet) and 10 replicates. The experimental period consisted of 5 days of adaptation, followed by 5 days of total excreta collection. The experimental feed consisted of a reference diet and a test diet formulated with 850 g/kg reference diet and 150 g/kg BSF. In experiment II, 1000 1-day-old quail were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five dietary levels of BSF (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 g/kg). At 42 days of age, birds were slaughtered, and the relative organ weight and body composition were determined. Apparent metabolizable energy values corrected for nitrogen retention of BSF meal were 13.8 MJ/kg. Across the starter (1-14 days) and overall period (1-42 days), increasing BSF levels had a quadratic effect on body weight and body weight gain. Feed conversion ratio was quadratically affected during the starter phase and linearly reduced over the overall period. Additionally, the BSF levels linearly decreased the small intestine's relative weight at 42 days and had a quadratic effect on the rate of protein deposition. We concluded that the inclusion of 100 g/kg BSF meal improves feed conversion ratio for growing quail.

Copping out of novel feeds: HOW climate change pledgers and food summits overlooked insect protein.

The intention with this critical review is to appraise recent work done on insect proteins as animal feeds, and to discuss the possible factors which led to the ruling out of insect proteins by food and feed commissioners, as well as climate change pledgers. Of late, edible insect larvae have gained popularity as a promising protein source. On the basis of proximate analysis, insect species such as Tenebrio molitor, Musca domestica, Acheta domestica, Zophobas morio and Hermetia illucens have been reported to contain substantial amounts of protein, essential amino acids and minerals. Given these chemical properties, insects may be fruitfully utilized as a partial or sole protein source for monogastric rations. Although insect larvae hold immense potential as promising sustainable protein ingredients which are both ecologically and environmentally friendly, these unconventional feedstuffs are frequently overlooked and/or excluded from policies and legislation on feedstuff of animal origin, at local and international summits which pledge to develop sustainable food systems. Concerns about food insecurity, our expanding carbon footprint and deteriorating ecosystems, dictate that food and climate change summits bring to the mitigation table the concept of transitioning animal diets. A change must be effected from standard to sustainable diets, starting with a declaration on environmental impact and climate change concerns related to soybean cultivation and marine loss due to overfishing. The available literature on the chemical properties and environmental impact of fishmeal and soyabean meal production was scrutinized by accessing electronic databases and comparing these to insects' nutritional composition and the impact which insect rearing has on the environment. As the literature search results revealed, information on the specific laws dealing with insect proteins as feed ingredients is scant, while the existing laws vary greatly. This has implications for innovation, as well as the trade in insect protein at a global level.

A Systematic Review and Metanalysis on the Use of Hermetia illucens and Tenebrio molitor in Diets for Poultry.

Insect meal as a protein source has been considered a sustainable way to feed animals. H. illucens and T. molitor larvae meal are considered high-protein sources for poultry, also presenting considerable amounts of fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, other potential components in insect meal and insect oil have been more extensively studied in recent years. Chitin, lauric acid, and antimicrobial peptides can present antimicrobial and prebiotic functions, indicating that low levels of their inclusion in insect meal can beneficially affect broilers' health and immune responses. This systematic review was developed to study the impact of insect products on the health parameters of broilers, and a metanalysis was conducted to evaluate the effects on performance. A database was obtained based on a selection of manuscripts from January 2016 to January 2023, following the mentioned parameters. Both H. illucens and T. molitor meal or oil products had positive effects on poultry health status, especially on the ileal and cecal microbiota population, immune responses, and antimicrobial properties. The average daily gain was greater in broilers fed T. molitor meal compared to H. illucens meal (p = 0.002). The results suggest that low levels of insect meal are suitable for broilers, without resulting in negative effects on body weight gain and the feed conversion ratio, while the insect oil can totally replace soybean oil without negative impacts.

Combined Effects of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the Growth Performance, Feed Utilization Intestinal Health, and Blood Biomarkers of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fed Fish Meal-Free Diets.

Aquafeed quality is the most critical factor for aquaculture sustainability. However, limitations of traditional feed ingredients such as fishmeal (FM) need alternative strategies to ensure the nutritional requirements for aquatic animals. In this trial, four test diets were formulated (2 × 2 factorial design), where FM was incorporated in two diets at 10% with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) at 1 g/kg. At the same time, FM was replaced with yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal (TM) with or without SC at 1 g/kg. The growth performance indices (final weight, weight gain, and SGR), and the feed utilization indices (FCR and PER) were markedly affected by the protein source (FM or TM) and dietary SC (P < 0.05). The protein source (FM or TM) significantly (P < 0.05) affected the whole-body protein and lipid contents, while the moisture and ash contents were unaffected (P > 0.05) by TM or SC. The growth of the intestinal villi showed a marked increase in both height and branching in the treated groups with SC along the whole length of the intestine. Furthermore, the immune cell infiltration was prominent near the intestinal crypts of the middle intestinal segments in the supplemented groups by SC. Dietary TM and SC revealed improved hepatic parenchyma in the liver tissue better than other groups. The hematological indices, including hemoglobulin, hematocrit, red blood cells, and white blood cells, were markedly affected by dietary SC (P < 0.05). The lysozyme activity and phagocytic index were markedly affected by dietary SC, while phagocytic activity was affected by dietary TM (P < 0.05). The catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde were markedly affected by the interaction between dietary protein source and SC, while superoxide dismutase was affected by dietary SC (P < 0.05). In conclusion, adding SC could enhance the utilization of TM by Nile tilapia with positive effects on the intestinal and liver histological features and the immune and antioxidative responses.

Sustenance Trial to Analyze the Effects of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal on the Reproductive Efficiency of Sows and the Hematological Properties of Suckling and Weaning Piglets.

The escalating demand for meat, driven by global population growth, necessitates sustainable solutions for animal feed production. This study investigated the effects of substituting conventional protein resources in sow and piglet dietary regimens with black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens) meal on reproductive efficiency, blood profile, piglet growth, and intestinal tissue morphology. The results indicate that substituting animal-derived and soy proteins with BSF meal does not compromise sow reproductive performance. Although no notable disparities were observed in piglet growth, the feed conversion ratio from the 28- to 35-day age marks were lower in the BSF-fed groups. This suggests that the animal protein-BSF substitution rate may require optimization, potentially involving chitin removal from BSF meal to enhance digestibility. Minor variations in the hematological composition and properties in piglets, with elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the high BSF group at the 28-day mark, were potentially attributable to the unique fatty acid composition of BSF meal. Moreover, this study potentiates future exploration into the efficacy of complete animal protein substitution with BSF meals on piglet nutrition and physiology, particularly in fattening pigs. The practical implementation of BSF meals in animal feed production holds promise for enhancing the sustainability of the swine industry.

Unravelling the nutritional and health benefits of wheat bread enriched with meat powder from laying hen fed diet with insect (Hermetia illucens) meal.

Wheat bread is among stable foods that are nutritionally imbalanced, thus enrichment is crucial. We evaluated the nutritional impact of high-valued wheat bread enriched with varying levels of meat powder from hen fed diet with insect (Hermetia illucens)-based meal. Crude protein and ash in bread increased with increasing inclusion of meat powder. Limiting amino acids like lysine and threonine in enriched bread products increased by 3.0-4.5 and 1.8-3.1-folds, respectively. Omega 3 fatty acids were significantly enhanced in bread fortified with meat powder. Vitamins (retinol, nicotinic acid, and pantothenic acid) were significantly increased in supplemented bread products. Iron, zinc, and calcium increased by 1.1, 1.2 and 3.0-folds in enriched bread with 30% meat powder. Colour, flavour and overall acceptability of breads prepared with 25 and 30% meat powder were highly ranked. Our findings demonstrate that meat powder (i.e., from hen fed insect-based diets) enrichment would provide added health and nutritional benefits to bread products without having adverse effects on any functional or sensory properties. Thus, this could be a novel strategy and trend for improving bread products, that might generate increasing demand for a healthier consumer-oriented lifestyle.

Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Meal as Direct Replacement of Complex Fish Feed for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

In the experiments, defatted black soldier fly meal reared on vegetable byproducts was used in the fry rearing of two economically important fish species, African catfish and rainbow trout. Both fish species were reared in a recirculation system and 0-33-66-100% of the complex fry feed was replaced by a defatted prepupae meal of black soldier flies during a 28-day feeding experiment. African catfish was reared at 25 ± 1 °C while rainbow trout was reared at 12 ± 1 °C. The results showed that the growth of African catfish was not significantly reduced when 66% of the feed was replaced by soldier fly meal (mean weight in the control fish group at the end of the experiment was 0.4632 ± 0.2469 g, while the 66% group resulted mean weights of 0.4150 ± 0.1886 g) and the survival did not show any statistically different results (mean survival in control group was 57.48 ± 13.76% while it was 56.6 ± 7.763% in the 66% group). In the case of rainbow trout, replacing the feed entirely with insect meal did not cause a decrease in weight gain (final mean weight in the control group was measured at 1.9640 ± 0.4154 g, while in the group consuming only insect meal, it was 1.9410 ± 0.4248 g) or in survival (in the control group 98.5%, while in the group consuming only insect meal 99.5%). All these preliminary results indicate that black soldier fly meal can be used directly as a nursery feed in fish farming as a partial or total replacement of complete feeds. The results showed that black soldier fly meal could replace 66% of the complex brood feed of African catfish and up to 100% of rainbow trout feed without deterioration of production results. Our experiments have therefore opened the way for further experiments on insect meal in larval rearing.