WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2017 61 Potential Scope of Use Conservative estimates indicate that there are about 1,900 species of edible insects worldwide, including various species of cricket, dragonfly, scorpion, cockroach, beetle, spider, cicada, bamboo and silk worm, water bug, grasshopper, ant, fly larvae, and various other insect larvae. These little creatures are a natural food source for many animals, including humans, supplying large amounts of protein (7-48 percent), fat (1-36 percent), energy (8904,900 kcal/kg) on a fresh weight basis, and essential minerals and vitamins. Furthermore, many insects require little or no preparation or processing prior to consumption. Since prehistoric times, entomophagy – insect consumption – has served as a vital source of nutrition for human populations in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Regrettably some cultures have lost their taste for insects, developing taboos, not only for direct consumption but also for feeding animals with insects and insect products. Production of insects has a few advantages over traditional Insects as a Feed Ingredient in Aquafeeds Spencer Davis, Kathleen Ramm, Zhi Yong Ju and Fabio Soller agricultural crops, such as small footprint needed to produce a relatively high amount of protein and fats, a balanced amino acid composition, and health-promoting molecules such as anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, polysaccharides, nucleotides and nucleosides. Also, many insects are herbivores or omnivores and can consume plant material, agricultural wastes, and even restaurant waste that usually ends up in landfills. This food flexibility means that many insects have the capability to recycle organic wastes. Use in Aquafeeds Currently most marine feed ingredients (e.g. fishmeal) in aquafeeds are being replaced by plant-based ingredients. Plant-based ingredients are readily available and a good source of protein and carbohydrates; however, the loss of beneficial compounds (vitamins, antioxidants and minerals) can occur during processing of plantbased ingredients. In addition, plant-based ingredients often contain (CONTINUED ON PAGE 62) Dry black soldier fly larvae.
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