TITLE:
Nutritive and Microbiological Quality of Fish Feed Formulated from Local Flours Enriched with Larvaes of Hermetia illucens
AUTHORS:
Francine Herodias Béké, Nadège Kouadio-N’gbesso, Paul Yao Attien, N’da Einstein Kouadio, Audrey Charlène Asté, Comoé Koffi Donatien Benie, Adjehi Thomas Dadié
KEYWORDS:
Hermetia illucens, Fish Feed, Nutritive and Microbiological Quality
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: In aquaculture, feed represents the main component of production costs, and the development of this sector depends on the development of an economical feed formulation that meets the qualitative and quantitative requirements of fish. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritive and microbiological quality of fish feed formulated from local flours enriched with Hermetia illucens larvae. The raw materials used for formulation were fishmeal, corn meal, low-grade rice, soybean meal and Hermetia illucens larvae meal. Different iso-protein feed compositions were prepared with 0%, 10%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 65%, 75% and 100% incorporation of Hermetia illucens larvae meal as a substitute for fish meal. Biochemical and microbiological analyses of these flours were determined using standard methods. The results showed that incorporation of larvae meal had an influence on the biochemical characteristics ash (8.15 to 20.27%), lipid (11.55 to 24.94%), fiber (13.93 to 20.41%) and dry matter (89.65 to 91.19%) of various formulated feed. Loads of fecal Streptococci, Staphylococci, Aeromonas, yeasts and molds ranged from 2.4 to 4.9 log 10 CFU/g; 3.6 to 3.9 log 10 CFU/g; 2.2 to 2.7 log 10 CFU/g; 2.1 to 2.3 log 10 CFU/g, respectively. The level of contamination of these flours was below the microbiological criteria applicable to animal feed. Feed formulated with 0% and 10% Hermetia illucens larvae showed the best nutritive and microbiological characteristics. These results suggest that flours enriched with Hermetia illucens larvae could be used in fish feed.