The effect of including full-fat dried black soldier fly larvae in laying hen diet on egg quality and sensory characteristics

Two of the main challenges that global food systems are facing are the projected more than 50% increase in demand for food and feed in the next 3 decades and the massive amount of food loss and waste in the current food systems. Recovering nutrients from the plant-based food loss by establishing a natural recycling and recovery system using insects and worms to produce feedstuff with suitable amino acid ratios is considered as a viable solution if the quality of the products is acceptable. As a result, effects of including full-fat dried black soldier fly larvae (DBSFL) in laying hen diets on egg quality, fatty acid and metal compositions of the yolk, and the sensory characteristics of hard-boiled eggs were investigated in this study. In addition to the control soy-based layer diet, two experimental diets with soybean meal partially (50%) and completely substituted by chopped DBSFL (10 and 18%, respectively) were examined. Ninety 18-wk-old Novogen Brown layers were randomly divided into six mobile trailers (3 diets × 2 replications) in a 17 week trial. Five eggs from each trailer were collected, weighed and stored in 4 °C for 24 hours on weeks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 of the study. Egg shell characteristics (presence of cracks, deformation, and weight and thickness) and interior egg quality (albumen weight and height, yolk weight and colour, and Haugh units) tests were then conducted, and the proportions of the weights of shell, yolk and albumen were calculated. For the yolk nutrient composition tests, 12 eggs from each group was randomly selected, and yolks were extracted and mixed to provide 100 g sample per diet. Six judges also evaluated the sensory attributes of eggs in six sessions (two eggs/session). Control eggs were heavier, and had higher shell and albumen weights than DBSFL eggs. They also had a thicker shell compared to 18% DBSFL eggs. 10% DBSFL eggs had heavier shell and higher yolk to albumen ratio than 18% DBSFL eggs. Yolk fat content increased with the increase in the DBSFL content of the feed. However, odour, flavour and texture perceptions were not affected. In conclusion, partial substitution of soybean meal and oil with DBSFL resulted in the production of eggs with comparable quality to control eggs.