Fillet yield and flesh quality of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fed with extruded feed containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)

Abstract

In order to study the effect of the partial replacement of fishmeal (FM) with black soldier fly, mealworm and the combination of both on common carp flesh quality, a 13 weeks experiment was carried out. A total of 36 fish with initial weight of 209.33±0.07 g were randomly assigned to four groups of diet. The control diet contained 200 g kg-1 fishmeal, while experimental diets contained black soldier fly meal 100 g kg-1, mealworm 100 g kg-1 and black soldier fly and mealworm 1:1 combination in 100 g kg-1. The fish were fed at 1.75% of their biomass twice per day. After 9 weeks of experimental period, the treatment with mealworm (100 g kg-1) was excluded of the trial due to the high fish mortality. At the end of the experiment (13th week), five fish per group were killed by manual stunning method and measured for slaughter traits and flesh quality. The results revealed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between various diet groups’ interims of profile index, fillet yield, cooking loss, dripping loss and acidification (pH) at 45 minutes and at 24 hrs. Except for the ash, all proximate qualities of the fillet were not significantly different among different diet groups, while the ash content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the black soldier fly meal 100 g kg-1 replacement. This study proves that black soldier fly and the mixture of mealworm meal can replace 100 g kg-1 of FM without negative effect on flesh yield and quality parameters. Further investigation should be undertaken on optimum g kg-1 inclusion level and length of experimental duration of mealworm on common carp