Improving <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> Growth and Nutritional Value through Vegetable Waste Supplementation

Abstract

Huge amounts of vegetable wastes are generated by the food industry. Their bioconversion into valuable products (e.g., insect flours or biofertilizer) through insect farming is a promising solution to reduce their negative environmental and economic impacts. This study evaluates the growth of Tenebrio molitor larvae and their nutritional profile after supplementing their diets with vegetable wastes. Over a 6-week period, 45-day larvae were fed a diet comprising wheat bran supplemented (1:1) with cucumber or tomato wastes from both conventional and ecological crops. The control diet consisted of wheat bran and an equivalent amount of water to compensate for the waste moisture. Larval weight was measured weekly, and length measures were taken fortnightly. Nutritional composition and fatty acid profile were analyzed at the end of the study in 90-day larvae. Regardless of using vegetable waste from conventional or ecological harvesting, the weight of 6-week supplemented larvae almost doubled that of larvae fed with just wheat bran, and their length was 15% higher. Supplementation also increased larval polyunsaturated fatty acid percentage by 22–37%, with linoleic acid being the most abundant. Likewise, larval protein content reached 50% after supplementation. This study demonstrates that both cucumber and tomato wastes from conventional or ecological crops are excellent supplements for T. molitor’s diet, improving their nutritional value and reducing the time necessary for larvae growth.

Keywords

• protein alternative
• circular economy
• fatty acids
• insect growth
• vegetable waste
• diet supplementation