Dados do Trabalho

Título

REDEFINING PROTEIN SUSTAINABILITY: NOVEL FEEDS FOR CRICKET FARMING USING SIDE-STREAMS

Introdução

Addressing global food security concerns in the 21st century, particularly with a projected population of 9.8 billion by 2050 requiring a 60% increase in food production, demands innovative approaches beyond traditional agriculture. Alternative protein sources, such as insects mass-reared for consumption, offer promising avenues to augment food production sustainably. This study explored the development of 6 diets for farm crickets to enhance their productive performance, and also their protein and fatty acid content.

Material e Métodos

Utilizing the FAO-recommended corn-soybean-vegetable oil meal-based diet as a control, alongside a corn-soybean diet without vegetable oil as a comparison, we investigated feeds incorporating fresh kale, wheat germ, brewing spent grains (BSG), and peanuts.

Resultados e Discussão

The crickets biology and chemical body composition were studied. The results reveal significant effects of diet composition on cricket biology. Diets enriched with fresh kale, wheat germ, and BSG demonstrated superior performance in promoting early-stage duration, adult weight, fecundity, and fertility. Adult cricket weights ranged from 0.5-0.75 g, with variations attributable to diet composition. The total protein content of crickets fed with wheat germ, BSG, and peanut feeds was lower compared to the control, kale, and low-fat feeds. Primary fatty acids identified were C18:2, C18:1, C16:0, and C18:0.

Conclusão

Wheat germ and BSG emerging as sustainable alternatives to soybeans in cricket diets without compromising mass-rearing efficiency. Additionally, recycling brewery waste for meal development further enhances the sustainability of cricket protein production for both food and feed applications.