Can Insect Meal Replace Fishmeal? A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Black Soldier Fly on Fish Growth Performances and Nutritional Values

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 13; p. 1700
• Main Authors: Gougbedji, Armel, Detilleux, Johann, Lalèyè, Philippe, Francis, Frédéric, Caparros Megido, Rudy
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 30.06.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aquaculture; Bias; Diet; Economics; efficiency; Entomologie & lutte antiravageur; Entomology & pest control; Feed industry; Fish; fish feed; Fish meal; Fish oils; Hermetia illucens; Heterogeneity; Life sciences; Lipids; Meals; Meta-analysis; Parameters; Proteins; Random variables; replacement; Sciences du vivant; Search engines; Standard deviation; Substitutes
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani12131700

The search for quality alternatives to fishmeal and fish oil in the fish feed industry has occupied many researchers worldwide. The use of black soldier fly meal (BSFM) as a substitute has increased. This study evaluated the effect of this substitution on fish growth and nutritional quality through a meta-analysis of the literature. A list of studies was selected after an exhaustive literature search followed by the extraction of growth and nutritional parameters. Two random-effects models were used to estimate the differences between the experimental parameters and the controls. The results showed significant heterogeneity between studies for all parameters. The sources of heterogeneity between studies were mainly fish species and protein substitution rate. High substitutions can be considered without necessarily worrying about an adverse effect. Financial profitability studies of the fish production chain from BSFM should be carried out to validate or invalidate the economic viability of this substitution.