Prospects for the use of the Hermetia illucens larvae in feed for industrial aquaculture objects

S.A. Liman¹, T.M. Davydenko², V.Yu. Lebedev¹, N.A. Ushakova^3
1Agroacademy, ul. Matrosova, 2A, Shebekino, Belgorodskaya obl., 309290, Russian Federation
²Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov, ul. Kostyukova, 46, Belgorod, 308012, Russian Federation
³A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Leninskii prosp., 33, Moskva, 119071, Russian Federation

Abstract. The intensive production of valuable aquaculture objects is faced with the need to find new sources of high-protein components of animal origin to replace fish flour. The use of proteins of cultivated insects, including Hermetia illucens larvae, is promising for this purpose. Their advantage lies in high growth and biomass accumulation rate, high protein and fat contents, the amino acid composition of protein typical for animals with the presence of all essential amino acids, sanitary-epidemiological and environmental safety. The proline content in larvae’ flour is higher than in fish meal, by 1.13%, the content of alanine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, histidine, leucine, tyrosine is higher by 0.25, 0.7, 0.31, 0.96, 4.80, and 2.63%, respectively, while the concentration of lysine is lower by 5.19%, methionine – by 1.70%. Most of the fatty acids of the lipid concentrate from insect larvae are saturated acids: lauric acid (47.06%), palmitic acid (15.17%), myristic acid (10.48%), and stearic acid (3.47%). The share of unsaturated acids does not exceed 12.0%. The breeding process is highly adaptable; the larvae can develop on plant substrates. Flour from the larvae of the Hermetia illucens is suitable for the diets of many commercial fish species, including trout and sturgeon. Fish consume 91–97% of its protein and digest 90–94% of residual fat and 52–68% of easily hydrolyzable carbohydrates. Insect chitin is digested by 25–35% and does not negatively affect protein and fat assimilation. The use of larval protein in the Russian fishery opens up opportunities for the production of cheaper, but high-quality fish feed, which is not inferior to imported feed in terms of basic parameters.

Keywords: larvae; Hermetia illucens; aquaculture; feed; protein.

Author Details: S. A. Liman, director; T. M. Davydenko, D. Sc. (Ped.), vice-rector; V. Yu. Lebedev, executive director; N. A. Ushakova, D. Sc. (Biol.), head of laboratory (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.).

For citation: Liman SA, Davydenko TM, Lebedev VYu, et al [Prospects for the use of the Hermetia illucens larvae in feed for industrial aquaculture objects] Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2021;35(8):35-9. Russian. doi: 10.53859/02352451_2021_35_8_35.