2026/01/01 by Fares A. Alzahrani, Fahd A. Al‐Mekhlafi, Mohammad Ahmad Wadaan +1 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Insect Pest Control Strategies #Insect Utilization and Effects #Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
paper · doi:10.1515/chem-2025-0259
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/07/07 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/16
Abstract The growing demand for sustainable protein has increased interest in using agro-industrial by-products as insect feed substrates. This study evaluated post-consumer rice residue powder (PRP) as a partial or complete replacement for wheat bran (WB) in rearing Tenebrio molitor larvae. A controlled experiment was conducted in which larvae were reared for 45 days under standardized conditions and fed four diets: 100 % WB (control), 75 % PRP25 % WB, 50 % PRP50 % WB, and 100 % PRP. Survival and larval weight were recorded, and biochemical analyses, including amino acid profiling and lipid-related metabolites, were performed. Survival remained high (98–100 %) across all treatments, indicating no adverse effects on larval viability. However, growth was significantly influenced by diet composition. The 50 % PRP50 % WB diet supported larval weights (0.067 ± 0.005 g) comparable to the control (0.062 ± 0.003 g), whereas complete replacement with PRP significantly reduced weight. Total amino acid content declined with increasing PRP inclusion, with notable reductions in methionine (−35.6 %) and histidine (−32.6 %). Chemical profiling revealed diet-dependent differences, with more diverse compounds detected in mixed diets. Overall, PRP can partially replace wheat bran without compromising survival. These findings demonstrate its practical applicability as a supplemental substrate and its potential to support sustainable insect-based protein production within circular bioeconomy systems.