Extraction Methods and Technological Means of Drying Maggots (Musca domestica) for Good Nutritional Quality

Abstract

F ood self-sufficiency in animal protein is nowadays a challenge for Benin's economic development. Fish products play a very important role in human nutrition. They constitute the most important source of animal protein in the diet of the Beninese population and represent 31.9% of the proteins of animal origin then 5.5% of the total proteins (FAO, 2016). In Benin, the supply of fishery resources is proving difficult on an ongoing basis because of overfishing, which is leading to a considerable reduction in fish stocks. Despite this, some of these resources are used for the production of farmed food. This is the case of flour and fish oil considered as good food for fish. It is therefore imperative to promote fish farming in its diversification in order to reduce, on the one hand, the import of frozen fish research Article Abstract | In order to make maggot meal (Musca domestica) available for use in fish feed, a production experiment was conducted to determine the easy harvesting method to maximize maggot production density by surface unit with appropriate technological means for their drying. For example, the simple sifter (MTS), hot water (MEC), single water (MES), hot water sifter (MTEC) and single water sifter (MTES) methods were tested in triplicate for the harvest of maggots from the same type of production substrate (2: 1 ratio of viscera and soy cake) and four technological means (sun drying sifter, improved sun drying device, freeze-dryer and electric oven) used to dry the maggots harvested. The results showed that in addition to the harvesting time, which varies according to the harvesting method, there is a significant difference (P<0.05) for the density of production of maggots by unit area with the best density obtained with the sifter method-hot water (MTEC, 833.33 g.m-2). The drying of the maggots in the freeze dryer and in the improved sun drying device allowed a better preservation of the physical appearance of the maggots with a better biochemical composition, especially in crude proteins (P>0.05). From this experiment, the best method of harvesting maggots is that using the sifter associated with hot water and the improved sun drying device is the effective technological means of drying maggots because it allows for a good content in protein and does not require energy cost.