Aquaculture America 2023

February 23 - 26, 2023

New Orleans, Louisiana USA

BLACK SOLDIER FLY LARVAE: A NOVEL PROTEIN SOURCE FOR AQUACULTURE

Daniel Adams*, Liz Koutsos

Enviroflight, LLC

2100 Production Drive, Apex, NC 27539

 



The aquaculture industry is constantly in search of novel protein sources for many reasons. Insects can potentially provide a high-quality, sustainable source of proteins to salmonid species to help offset the need for animal-based protein in the diet, and to help alleviate soybean meal-induced intestinal Enteritis in salmonids. Crickets, Mealworms, and Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) are the three common insect species used in animal feeds and pet foods globally. Particularly, the Black soldier fly larvae has received a lot of attention due to its short life cycle and ability to eat ingredients that would normally be destined for the landfill. BSFL can be processed to create at least 4 feed ingredients including whole dried insects which can then be further processed to produce an insect oil and an insect meal. Finally, insect frass is produced from processing the residual material from the insect rearing process including leftover feed and exoskeletons and may also have applications in plant and animal nutrition. The nutrient composition of these ingredients are highly dependent on the insects dietary and rearing practices. Along with being an excellent source of protein in their meal form (50-60% CP), insects also provide an excellent source of fats, vitamins, and minerals. This presentation will describe the nutritional benefits of utilizing BSFL ingredients as a protein source in Aquaculture diets, while also exploring how nutrient composition may change with insect diet and rearing practices.