Insect meals in animal nutrition

The increase in consumption of animal products, linked to the projected population growth from now until 2050, requires a new and optimized approach for animal feed and the selection of new protein sources in order to develop sustainable feeds, able to guarantee the sustainability of livestock production and to safeguard natural resources.
Insect meals are considered as very promising innovative raw materials, due to their high nutritional value and protein content in addition to their positive effect son animal health.

The objective of the research group is to assess the effects of insect meal in animal feeds (fish, poultry, pork and rabbits) evaluating performance parameters, product quality and animal welfare. Moreover, the research group is involved in trials aimed to evaluate different organic by-products as rearing substrates for both black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). The group's activity is performed at the DISAFA facilities (experimental farm and laboratories). In the Experimental Farm Tetto Frati, located in Carmagnola (TO), there are the infrastructures dedicated to the insect, poultry and fish rearing.
The group collaborates with other Italian (University departments, CNR, Veterinary Medical Research Institute) and foreigners research centers.

Insights
Agricultural and livestock - long-term experiment station Tetto Frati

• CIPROMED (2023): Alternative proteins exploitation in the Mediterranean food and feed chains (Partner)
• HI-Tech (2023): Hermetia illucens biofactory: from waste to high value technological products (Coordinator)
• NewRIFF (2023): New life for Rice by-products and agricultural wastes: Insects bioconversion for Fish Feed production (Partner)
• ADVAGROMED: ADVanced AGROecological approaches based on the integration of insect farming with local field practices in MEDiterranean countries (Coordinatore)
• POWERFOOD: Valorizzazione dell’energia termica da biogas per la produzione integrata di proteine feed e food (Partner)
• AQUAEXCEL3.0: AQUAculture infrastructures for EXCELlence in European fish research 3.0. (Coordinator of the UNITO (DISAFA) for the insect and aquaculture platform)
• SUSTAvianFEED: Alternative animal feeds in Mediterranean poultry breeds to obtain sustainable products (Partner)
• PSR AZIONE 2, OPERAZIONE 16.1.1 -  GELSO-NET - FILIERA AGROALIMENTARE DEL GELSO: FRUTTO – FORAGGIO – BACHICOLTURA (Coordinatore)
• SUSFOOD2/CORE Organic (2020). POULTRYNSECT: The use of live insect larvae to improve sustainability and animal welfare of organic chickens production. (Partner)
• Fondazione Cariplo (2020). Circular economy: live larvae recycling organic waste as sustainable feed for rural poultry (CELLOW-FeeP) (Partner)
• H2020 Research and Innovation action. AQUAEXCEL3.0 “AQUAculture infrastructures for EXCELlence in European fish research 3.0”. DISAFA facility is the platform for insect production and fish trials (Proposal number: 871108) (Partner & WP leader)
• Fondazione Cariplo 2019 - 2020. MAIC1 & MAIC2: Sustainable insect rearing model (2 years grants) (Partner)
• WELFINSECTS (01/2019-12/2019): FROM WASTE TO FARM Insect larvae as tool for welfare improvement in poultry - EU project EIT-FOOD (Partner)
• BioSIn (08/2018-08/2020): Circular Economy – biomass – novel products: Bioconversion Sustainable by Insects – Fondazione CRT 2018. AI976.U1113 (Coordinator)
• HI-BIORAFINERY (01/2018-12/2019): Pilot plan of black soldier fly reared on large scale retail distribution wastes, for the production of protein meal and chitin - POR FESR 14/20 "Poli di Innovazione - Polo Energy and Clean Technology" (Scientific coordinator)
• INNOPOULTRY (01/2018-12/2018): The poultry food chain: tackling old problems with innovative approaches” EU project EIT-FOOD (Partner)
• The innovative use of wine pomace: valorization through insects. Fondazione CRT 2016-2018 (Unit coordinator)
• MAIC (2018-2019): Allevamento insetti commestibili (attività di ricerca applicata per la definizione di un modello di allevamento di Acheta domesticus). Fondazione Cariplo (fuori bando) (Partner)
• SANHER: Partially defatted Hermetia illucens larvae meal inclusion in diets for pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) juveniles. Aquaexcel – AE070026 (2018)
• AGER2 4F (2016-2020): Fine Feed for Fish founded by Fondazione Ager2 (WP coordinator)
• BOMB-HI (2014): Feasibility study on the rearing of Hermetia illucens and Bombyx mori as feed in Italy
• POR-FERS 2007-2013 Polo Innovazione ENERMHY Regione Piemonte (Scientific coordinator – Unito grant)
• PIAS (2014): Proteine da Insetto in Avicoltura Sostenibile. PSR 2007-2013 Regione Piemonte - Misura 124, Az. 1 (Cordinator)
• IMPRovES: Use on pre-treated insect meals in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) to improve nutrient availability and performance – Aquaexcel – AE040040 (2017)
• Finanziamento POR-FERS 07/13 – Misura I.1.3 "Poli di Innovazione – Bando studi di fattibilità 2014"
  Progetto BOMB-HI: Studio sullo sviluppo di filiere di produzione di nuove fonti proteiche per l’alimentazione animale mediante l’allevamento di insetti (Bombyx mori, Hermetia illucens).

• Gasco, L., Renna, M., Bellezza Oddon, S., Rezaei Far, A., Naser El Deen, S., & Veldkamp, T. (2023). Insect meals in a circular economy and applications in monogastric diets. Animal Frontiers, 13(4), 81-90.
• Biasato, I., Gasco, L., Schiavone, A., Capucchio, M. T., & Ferrocino, I. (2023). Gut microbiota changes in insect-fed monogastric species: state-of-the-art and future perspectives. Animal Frontiers, 13(4), 72-80.
• Bellezza Oddon S, Biasato I, Gasco L. Isoenergetic-practical and semi-purified diets for protein requirement determination in Hermetia illucens larvae: consequences on life history traits. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2022 Jan 19;13(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s40104-021-00659-y.
• Bellezza Oddon, S., Biasato, I., Imarisio, A., Pipan, M., Dekleva, D., Colombino, E., ... & Schiavone, A. (2021). Black Soldier Fly and Yellow Mealworm live larvae for broiler chickens: Effects on bird performance and health status. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition, 105, 10-18. Articolo scientifico citato nell’aggiornamento della nota Ministeriale 0011399-05/05/2017-DGSAF-MDS-P (2023) che autorizza l’utilizzo di larve vive ai fini mangimistici per il pollame, suini e acquacoltura.
• Biasato I., Ferrocino I., Colombino E., Gai F., Schiavone A., Cocolin L., Vincenti V., Capucchio MT., Gasco L. (2020). Effects of dietary Hermetia illucens meal inclusion on cecal microbiota and small intestinal mucin dynamics and infiltration with immune cells of weaned piglets. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, 11: 64 doi: 10.1186/s40104-020-00466-x

Dr. Christophe Trèspeuch – Mutatec (France)
Dr. Daniel Murta – EntoGreen (Ingredient Odyssey S.A), Portugal
Dr. Teun Veldekamp - Wageningen Livestock Research (The Netherlands)
Dr. Emilie Devic / Anne Deguerry - Entofood (Malaisia)
Dr. David Deruytter / Inagro (Belgium)
Prof. Lvhui Sun - Huazhong Agricultural University, Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Whuan (China)
Dr. Morgane Henry - Laboratory of Fish Nutrition and Pathology, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Aghios Kosmas, 16777 Elliniko (Greece)
Dr. Stavros - Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Gournes Pediados P.O.Box 2214, 71003 Heraklion, Crete (Greece)
Jeffery K. Tomberlin - Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas (USA)
Paula Enes - IIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research. Terminal de Cruzeiros de Leixões. Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos (Portugal)
Ing. Heinrich Katz – Hermetia Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Baruth / Mark (Germany)
Prof. Kaijun Guo - College of Animal Science and Technology - Beijing University of Agriculture (China)
Dr. Mohamed Gastli – nextProtein (France – Tunisia)
Dr. Christoph Sandrock - Department of Livestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (Switzerland)
Dr. Attawit Kovitvadhi - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, - Kasetsart University (Thailand)
Dr. Constant Motte – Ynsect (France)
ManiTese – ONG, project in Guinea Bissau with FAO