Black Soldier Fly Larvae as an alternative protein source in pet diets

The use of insects as a protein source has gained considerable popularity in the pet and human food industries as the consumer agenda focuses more heavily on sustainability.3 Insects are commonly consumed as human food in many cultures around the globe.4-6 Of the insects most commonly being produced on a commercial scale, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have been given considerable attention, as they are cheap to raise and possess a unique nutritional composition.7,8

The utilization of BSFL as a sustainable protein source in feed for swine, poultry, and aquaculture has been studied extensively, and researchers are beginning to study BSFL in feed for companion animals as well.3,9,10 According to previous studies, the environmental impact of BSFL production is far less than that of conventional livestock production.11,12 Black soldier fly larvae have the unique ability to transform organic waste such as cow manure, sewage sludge, restaurant waste, and fish offal into valuable biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, however, the nutritional composition of BSFL will differ depending upon their diet.13,14

Recently, BSFL, as an alternative protein source in pet food, has been the subject of much investigation. Many studies have been done to evaluate the nutrient composition of BSFL, noting a high-quality composition of nutrients.15 Black soldier fly larvae are considered a complete protein for humans, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids.21 In addition, BSFL has one of the highest amino-acid scores compared to conventional protein sources such as fish meal.16,17On average, BSFL contains approximately 400 grams of crude protein per kilogram of dry matter (DM) and 300 grams of crude fat per kilogram of DM.9,18

A recent study showed similar results when comparing BSFL (36.5% inclusion) and venison as the primary protein source in extruded dog kibble.15 In dogs, acceptability of dry kibble containing BSFL is good, with dogs accepting foods containing up to 20% inclusion rate of BSFL; however, acceptability is lower in cats, with acceptance up to 5% inclusion.19,20

When evaluating the sustainability, nutrient composition, digestibility, and acceptability of protein products to use in pet food, BSFL is comparable to conventional meat products. While adequate studies have shown that BSFL is an acceptable alternative protein source in pet diets, more studies to evaluate processing, digestibility, and palatability would be beneficial.17

By: Ada-Miette Thomas
Source: BSM Partners

References

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21. Miron, L., Montevecchi, G., Bruggeman, G., Macavei, L. I., Maistrello, L., Antonelli, A., & Thomas, M. (2023). Functional properties and essential amino acid composition of proteins extracted from black soldier fly larvae reared on canteen leftovers. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 103407.