Could Insect Products Provide a Safe and Sustainable Feed Alternative for the Poultry Industry? A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The planet is home to more than 2000 species of edible insects, some of which have been consumed as food for many years. Recently, edible insect products have been gradually increasing in several countries, such as Italy and Egypt, as novel feed resources for humans and animals due to their availability, potential economic benefits, and high nutritive value. The insect industry can provide a new solution for livestock nutrition and offer many additional advantages, but there are obstacles to overcome, such as some nutritional organizations that forbid its usage. Nevertheless, previous research indicates that different insect species could be used safely as nutraceuticals in poultry farming to improve broiler growth performance (>3%) and layer egg production (>5%). Among these species, there are various products and extracts that can be used in poultry nutrition in a sustainable manner. This review provides an outline of insect composition, nutrient values, application in poultry feed, safety, and guidelines, and finally, the future perspectives of insects as an alternative feed source in poultry diets.

Insect Meal as an Alternative to Protein Concentrates in Poultry Nutrition with Future Perspectives (An Updated Review)

“…Although there is still inadequate information available regarding the safety and digestibility of incorporating insect-based feeds in poultry diets, recent studies have shown that insect meals have high nutrient digestibility rates in various animal species. Therefore, insect meals have the capability to be valuable alternative ingredients in animal feed formulations [7,8]. The research findings indicate that the dietary inclusion of insects in poultry diets can enhance the growth rate and feed conversion efficiency, implying their viability as an economical and productive protein source for poultry nutrition, as indicated in Table 2.…”

“…Insects constitute a high-quality protein source, being rich in essential amino acids and lipids. Interestingly, the protein contents of insect meals can significantly vary, ranging from almost 40% to 60%, even if being derived from the same insect species [7,8,47,49]. The variance in nutrient contents can also be influenced by factors such as dietary habits, including the specific types of food they consume in their ecological niche (preferably natural feeding patterns, and how these aspects affect the nutrient content and overall nutritional profiles of insects), developmental stage, and prevailing environmental conditions, thereby leading to dissimilar nutritional profiles even amongst closely related insect taxa [50].…”

“…These constituents possess the potential to exert a notable influence on the processes of protein digestion and mineral absorption. To minimize the negative impact of these factors, it is advisable to select insect species with lower levels of antinutritional factors or apply appropriate processing techniques to reduce their activity [8,53]. It is important to note that these recommended levels are general guidelines and can vary depending on factors such as the specific insect species, the target poultry species, the overall diet composition, and the desired production outcomes.…”

“…It is important to note that these recommended levels are general guidelines and can vary depending on factors such as the specific insect species, the target poultry species, the overall diet composition, and the desired production outcomes. The findings of Khalifah et al [8] suggested that caution should be exercised when including insects with notable antinutritional factors in poultry diets, warranting lower recommended inclusion levels typically falling within the range of 2-5% or below. Additionally, their study indicates that diverse insect species have the potential to be safely utilized as nutraceuticals in poultry farming, eliciting favorable effects on broiler growth performance exceeding 3% and layer egg production surpassing 5%.…”

“…Soybean and fish meals, which are conventional protein sources, have been associated with notable environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution. As a result, an increasing interest has emerged in using alternative protein sources, including plants and animal-based proteins (insect meal) [7,8]. Plant-based proteins are becoming increasingly popular as an eco-friendly substitute for traditional sources of protein for livestock.…”