Evaluation of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae and Pre-Pupae Raised on Household Organic Waste, as Potential Ingredients for Poultry Feed

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and pre-pupae were raised on nutritionally resembling household organic waste. Next, whole (non-defatted) BSF larvae and pre-pupae were dried and added to the diets of laying hens as a replacement of soybean meal and oil contents. Eggshell thickness and microbiota diversity in the cecum of hens supplemented with BSF pre-pupae showed higher values than those of hens fed with the control diet. It is suggested that chitin, an indigestible substance found in BSF, as well as BSF fat, possibly increased eggshell thickness and microbiota diversity values. Further investigation of the effect of BSF fat added to poultry feed is recommended. ABSTRACT: Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and pre-pupae could be satisfactorily raised on household organic waste and used as poultry feed, offering a potential sustainable way to recycle untapped resources of waste. The present study was conducted to determine if whole (non-defatted) BSF larvae and pre-pupae raised on experimental household waste could substitute soybean meal and oil as ingredients for laying hen diets. While no significant differences in feed intake and the egg-laying rate of hens were observed throughout the experiment, egg weight and eggshell thickness were greater in the pre-pupae-fed group than in the other groups. Moreover, although diversity of the cecal microbiota was significantly higher in the pre-pupae-fed than in the control group, no significant differences in bacterial genera known to cause food poisoning were observed when comparing the treatment groups. Nonetheless, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium populations were significantly lower in the treatment than in the control group. Fat content in BSF was possibly related with the changes in the cecal microbiota. Hence, since BSF fat was deficient in essential fatty acids, special attention should be paid to the fat content and its fatty acid composition in the case of regular inclusion of BSF larvae and pre-pupae oil as an ingredient in poultry diets.