Potential and challenges for the use of insects as feed for aquaculture

Gasco, Laura; Biasato, Ilaria; Enes, Paula; Gai, Francesco

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-822106-8.00009-9

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 138 publications

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“…are used to prepare nutritionally balanced feed formulations [6,7]. The huge consumption of FM in feed production caused severe shortages and coincided with a dramatic price increase [8,9]. However, by 2050, the available byproducts of fisheries and processed aquatic animals will not be enough to afford aquafeed requirements [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

El-Desouky,

Ibrahim,

Abd El-Razek

et al. 2024

Aquaculture Nutrition

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Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal was introduced to aquafeed as a suitable protein source to replace fish meal (FM) and soybean meal and, thereby, consistent aquaculture production. However, mealworms should be added at adequate levels due to the presence of antinutritional factors such as chitin. Consequently, sodium butyrate (SB) is suggested to improve feed quality and ensure aquatic animals’ productivity and welfare. In this study, parallel with the protein source (T. molitor meal or FM), dietary supplementation of SB (1 g/kg) is involved as a factor in the 2 × 2 factorial study. The first and the second diets were formulated using FM as a protein source with or without SB, while the third and fourth diets were prepared by replacing FM with T. molitor meal with or without SB supplementation. After 60 days, fish fed with FM or T. molitor and SB showed improved final body weight and weight gain, while those fed with T. molitor without SB had a reduced protein efficiency ratio. Histological analysis revealed that dietary SB improved intestinal histological features by increasing the height and branching of intestinal villi and immune cell infiltration near intestinal crypts in Nile tilapia-fed FM or T. molitor. Furthermore, fish-fed FM or T. molitor and SB had higher Hb, red blood cells, PCV, total protein, and globulin levels than fish-fed respective test diets without SB supplementation. Dietary SB addition to FM or T. molitor-based diets also significantly enhanced blood lysozyme and phagocytic activities, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced MDA levels. Our results demonstrate that T. molitor meal can replace FM without compromising Nile tilapia’s growth performance and health status. Additionally, SB supplementation improved T. molitor meal utilization by Nile tilapia, thereby significantly enhancing the growth, digestion capacity, intestinal histological features, and antioxidative and immune responses. Consequently, dietary T. molitor meal reduces the reliance on FM and improves the sustainability and efficiency of Nile tilapia production.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

El-Desouky,

Ibrahim,

Abd El-Razek

et al. 2024

Aquaculture Nutrition

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“…The average crude protein content of several insects varies between 50 and 80% (dry matter basis), which is almost similar to the crude protein content of the fish meal [ 21 ], which can meet the nutrient requirement of wide varieties of fish species [ 23 ]. Insects also contain some vitamins, minerals, and bioactive substances in addition to the protein and lipid components [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological Response of Grower African Catfish to Dietary Black Soldier Fly and Mealworm Meal

Gebremichael¹,

Kucska²,

Ardó

et al. 2023

Animals

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A six-week experiment was carried out to test the effects of total (100%) and partial (50%) replacement of fish meal in the diet of African catfish growers with black soldier fly (B) meal, yellow mealworm (M) meal, and a 1:1 combination of both (BM) on the production and health of fish. A total of 420 fish with an average initial body weight of 200 ± 0.5 g were randomly distributed in triplicate to seven diet groups (C, B50, B100, M50, M100, BM50, and BM100, respectively). The growth performance and feed utilization of fish fed with partial or total replacement levels of FM with B were not significantly affected (p > 0.05) during the 6 weeks of feeding. In contrast, significant differences were observed between the groups fed with a diet where FM was totally replaced with M meal and the control in terms of final body weight, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and protein productive value. Among the blood plasma biochemistry parameters, total cholesterol exhibited a significant difference (p = 0.007) between the M treatments and the control diet. The fatty acid profile of the liver was changed with respect to the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid content in all experimental groups. Parallel with this, the upregulation of elovl5 and fas genes in liver was found in all experimental groups compared to the control. Overall, this study shows that fish meal cannot be substituted with yellow mealworm meal in the practical diet of African catfish without compromising the growth, health and feed utilization parameters.

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“…Section 2 presents the background knowledge on the use of insects as feed. The literature on this topic is rapidly expanding (Alfiko et al, 2022;Gasco et al, 2023), and understanding acceptabilityparticularly in mature consumers, who have set and less malleable preferences within a marketis a key research question. Section 3 presents the Theoretical Framework, which builds on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), adapting this framework to focus more specifically on the relationship between beliefs, attitudes and intentions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nudging the acceptance of insects-fed farmed fish among mature consumers

Baldi,

Trentinaglia,

Peri

et al. 2023

Aquaculture Economics & Management

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Nudging the acceptance of insects-fed farmed fish among mature consumersThe increased demand for aquaculture products is raising concerns over the impact it has on the environment. As a result, policymakers and companies increasingly search for a replacement to fish-based feed, which causes pressures on the stock of wild fish. Insect-based feed is a widely considered as viable solution, due to their positive impact on fish nutrition, and from a circular economy perspective. Yet, consumer acceptance might be limited especially among mature consumers, typically more reluctant to accept novel foods. This article uses a Structural Equation Model to investigate how information and visual priming influence the acceptability of insect-farmed fish among Italian consumers aged 55 and over. We show that informing or priming consumers with images of the environment and nature can change consumers' beliefs alternative feeds, favouring in turn their attitude towards insect-farmed fish and their consumption intentions.Our findings support the development of more sustainable aquaculture systems, particularly among conservative consumers.

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Potential and challenges for the use of insects as feed for aquaculture

Cited by 13 publications

References 138 publications

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

Physiological Response of Grower African Catfish to Dietary Black Soldier Fly and Mealworm Meal

Nudging the acceptance of insects-fed farmed fish among mature consumers

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