Aquaculture is a fast-growing and efficient food production system and is expected to be the main contributor to the increased demand for animal proteins. Aquaculture today still heavily relies on fishmeal as a feed ingredient, which is made of wild-caught fish. The availability of fishmeal is limited. The use of fishmeal in livestock and pet food applications adds additional pressure on already scarce fishmeal supplies.
By Entobel
A GROWING POPULATION AND INCREASED PROTEIN DEMAND
The continued rise in the world’s population (9.8 billion in 2050 according to the United Nations estimation), along with the rise of the middle class in developing countries, will lead to a significant increase in the demand for food and proteins, particularly animal proteins.
Traditional livestock production, such as beef, pork, and to a lesser extent poultry, has a high environmental footprint. It requires vast amounts of resources, including land, water, and feed, and contributes significantly to deforestation, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and water pollution.
Aquaculture – as opposed to wild catch – on the other hand, is a fast-growing and efficient food production system and is expected to be the main contributor to the increased demand for animal proteins. However, aquaculture today still heavily relies on fishmeal as a feed ingredient, which is made of wild-caught fish.
The availability of fishmeal is limited. The use of fishmeal in livestock and pet food applications adds additional pressure on already scarce fishmeal supplies. In many instances, fishmeal inclusion in fish and shrimp diets has already been reduced to its ‘’limits’’ using other protein sources such as soybean meal. Alternative protein sources will be needed to further grow aquaculture production.
INSECTS, A PROVEN MARKET-FIT IN PETFOOD AND AQUACULTURE
Insects, particularly the Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL), are known to be very resource efficient. They can convert a large variety of low-value and even negative-value agricultural by-products into high-value proteins and fats. BSFL meal is an excellent source of amino acids and other essential nutrients that are vital for animal growth and health.
The main go-to market for insect proteins is currently in aquaculture and pet food. In pet food, insect meal is valued as a sustainable alternative to other high-valued meat products (beef, chicken, lamb) and is gaining market share due to its hypo-allergenic properties and an increased sustainability awareness of pet owners.
In aquafeeds, it is especially used for marine species to partially replace premium fishmeal. It is already used in commercial applications with major aquafeed players. In other aquaculture species and livestock, insect meal is used in smaller inclusion rates, for its positive effects on the feed intake, immune system, and FCR. It is especially interesting for the nursery and hatchery stages and for piglet diets.
Several trials conducted by Entobel in shrimp show that premium fishmeal can be replaced on a 1:1 basis up to 35% by its defatted BSFL meal, without any negative impact on the performance.
A trial in cooperation with Hue University (Vietnam) tested different shrimp feed diets with increasing substitution of fishmeal by BSFL meal. The results showed that the final weight, the FCR, and the Specific Growth Rate improved with an increasing BSFL meal inclusion in the diet. The best results were achieved with a 35% fishmeal substitution by Entobel’s BSFL meal. While with the current pricing of BSFL meal, the feed cost was slightly higher, the cost per kg of shrimp produced was significantly lower (Table 1).
BSFL MEAL, A FUNCTIONAL AND PEPTIDE-RICH INGREDIENT
BSFL meal is not only used as a protein source in animal diets. It can be considered a functional feed ingredient with positive attractant and health effects.
It is a rich source of free amino acids and low molecular weight proteins. This leads to a high protein digestibility, meaning that animals can more efficiently absorb and utilize the nutrients in BSFL meal than in other protein sources. It also explains the superior palatability and attractability of Entobel’s BSFL meal compared to other traditional attractants such as for instance squid liver meal, or shrimp hydrolysates.
A trial in cooperation with Nong Lam University (Vietnam) was executed to test the attractability of different feed ingredients. Defatted BSFL meal, full-fat BSF meal, squid liver meal from Korea and Vietnam, and fish hydrolyzed soluble were tested. They were included in different inclusion rates in a commercial diet. Shrimp were put in a Y-shaped aquarium and their choice between the control diet and the attractant diet was measured after different times (1, 5, 10, and 15 minutes).
Entobel’s defatted BSFL meal had the highest attractability (higher or equal to suid liver meal) regardless of the inclusion rates. The defatted BSFL meal is also more attractive than the full-fat BSFL meal.
POSITIVE HEALTH AND IMMUNE EFFECTS OF BSFL MEAL
Moreover, Entobel’s BSFL meal shows to have positive impacts on animal health, including improved gut health and immune system.
Entobel conducted several challenge trials which demonstrate positive immune and health effects when including BSFL meal in the diets. Shrimps fed with fresh larvae showed a significant increase in survival rate after a challenge test with White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV). Another trial showed an increase in survival rate after a challenge test with Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimp when partially substituting fishmeal with BSFL meal.
The Vibrio challenge test was performed in cooperation with ShrimpVet. In a commercial shrimp diet, BSFL meal substituted fish meal by increasing percentages. After 43 days, Vibrio parahaemolyticus was introduced and the survival rate was measured for the different diets, after day 1 and day 2 (Figure 1). The diets that included BSFL meal, showed a significant increase in survival, showing the positive immune effects of BSFL meal in shrimp diets.
The lauric acid, chitin, and Antimicrobial Peptides in the BSFL meal can explain the improved immune system. The Black Soldier Fly has evolved for millions of years in very pathogenic conditions (manure, decaying plant & animal waste…) and has a very strong evolutionary adapted immune system. Entobel’s research is ongoing to better understand these properties and how products could be developed to partially or fully replace antibiotics.
A MORE SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN SOURCE
THAN THE CONVENTIONAL ONES
Insect production has a significantly lower carbon footprint than conventional protein sources such as soybean meal and is similar to fish meal production. However, current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies are lacking a biodiversity parameter. E.g. wild fishes to produce fishmeal are considered a free and renewable resource, as it is coming from nature. About 4 kg of wild fish are needed to produce 1 kg of fishmeal, so 1 kg of BSFL meal saves 4 kg of wild fish from our oceans.
In insect production, the main carbon footprint impact comes from the substrate fed to the larvae, even though these are by-products, they still have a certain carbon footprint based on those methodologies and thus fresh larvae come with a carbon footprint, unlike wild fish. Some experts in LCA methodologies state that the lack of a biodiversity impact parameter leads to an unfair comparison between different feed ingredients.
Insect production has very limited water requirements and makes use of vertical farming, leading to very efficient production of proteins per square meter.
THE FUTURE OF BSFL MEAL
The raise in protein demand, combined with the need for a more sustainable food production system leads to the development of alternative proteins and ingredients. Insect proteins seem to be one of the key ingredients in this challenge. As insect proteins are not only considered a protein source but also function as an attractant and animal health ingredient, it has attracted the interest of the major aquafeed players. The functionalities will be further proven and developed with ongoing research and trials. The production volumes will increase rapidly over the coming years.
