The plant-based by-product diets for the mass-rearing of Acheta domesticus and Gryllus bimaculatus

Abstract

Edible insect rearing could provide one alternative for protein production by having a smaller environmental impact than traditional livestock farming due to insects’ ability to convert organic side streams. Currently, the insect rearing industry utilizes soybeans as a major source of protein in the feeds. Protein-rich by-products of food industry could be used to replace them in insect feeds, but it is not known if they also meet the insects’ nutritional requirements. Our study evaluated the growth performance of two widely used edible cricket species, Acheta domesticus and Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), on 18 experimental diets. The experimental diets included commercial chicken feeds and cricket diets, where soybean was partly and completely replaced with by-products from food industry: potato protein, barley mash, barley feed, compressed leftover of turnip rape and mix of broad bean and pea on three levels of protein. We found that the high- and medium-protein turnip rape and barley mash diets produced the highest yield and an increase in all performance variables. Overall, the high- and medium-protein diets produced the highest yield, growth and fastest development. Our results showed that by-products of food industry could be utilized as a part of the cricket feeds and thus advance the goals of circular economy.

Evaluation of Organic Wastes as Substrates for Rearing Zophobas morio, Tenebrio molitor, and Acheta domesticus Larvae as Alternative Feed Supplements

“…In this study, the survival of A. domesticus larvae was influenced by the diet. The survival rate was similar to the findings of Sorjonen et al [51] for insects reared on alternative diets at the age of 15-45 days, and similarly, low-protein alternative diets resulted in higher mortality. Contrary to our findings, Collavo et al [42] recorded an almost linear decrease in survival with time at the age of 1-81 days, with a survival rate of 47.5% on human refuse waste, as an example.…”

Chemical Composition, Nutrient Quality and Acceptability of Edible Insects Are Affected by Species, Developmental Stage, Gender, Diet, and Processing Method

“…While assessing 18 diets based on industry by-products (such as, potato protein, barley mash, leftover of turnip-rape and broad beans) for rearing of crickets such as A. domesticus and G. bimaculatus , Sorjonen et al [ 109 ] reported yields of A. domesticus as high as 4.10 g on barley mash and 5.12 g of G. bimaculatus on turnip rape. The average weights of female and male A. domesticus were 0.459 g and 0.342 g, respectively, whereas in the case of G. bimaculatus the corresponding weights were 0.912 and 0.626 g. Thus, these protein-rich products can replace currently-used soybean in mass rearing.…”

A Proteomic- and Bioinformatic-Based Identification of Specific Allergens from Edible Insects: Probes for Future Detection as Food Ingredients

“…The increasing use of insects as food ingredients, developed at the same time that progress has been achieved in the factory farming of edible insects such as yellow mealworm ( Tenebrio molitor ), cricket ( Acheta domesticus , Gryllus bimaculatus ), or black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens ) [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. However, besides their relevant nutritional properties, products derived from edible insects may also exhibit some potential chemical safety risks due to the persistence of heavy metals or hazardous organic pollutants in the ready-to-eat insects [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], and microbiological and parasitological risks associated to the possible occurrence in edible insects of bacteria or parasites potentially pathogenic for humans [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”