The use of lignin as a marker in a digestibility trial on Tenebrio molitor insect larvae
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63356/agrores.2025.018Keywords:
marker, total collection, digestibility, Tenebrio molitorAbstract
The Tenebrio molitor or yellow mealworm is a widely studied alternative source of protein in animal nutrition. This study aimed to explore the use of lignin as a marker in the digestibility research of Tenebrio molitor. The digestibility results obtained from the total collection method were compared with those determined using a marker, and the data was statistically processed. It used two types of feed: wheat bran and oat flakes. The concentration of lignin varied greatly between the two, with wheat bran containing 2.17% and oat flakes 0.51%. The results show that the digestibility determined by both the direct method and the method using lignin as a marker is very similar for wheat bran; however, there is a notable difference for oat flakes feed. High values of determination coefficients (R2) show a high correlation between digestibility values obtained by the two methods. Yet, regression analysis shows that only in the case of wheat bran two methods are resulting in similar values. In the case of oat flakes, systematic regression bias is obvious, as confirmed by intercept and slope significant p values. Lignin can serve as a useful marker in digestibility trials involving insects. The concentration of lignin in the feed appears to be crucial for obtaining accurate results. However, this is only a preliminary trial, and further research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.
References
Biasato, I., Gasco, L., De Marco, M., Renna, M., Rotolo, L., Dabbou, S., Capucchio, M. T., Biasibetti, E., Tarantola, M., Bianchi, C., Cavallarin, L., Gai, F., Pozzo, L., Dezzutto, D., Bergagna, S., & Schiavone, A. (2017). Effects of Yellow Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor) Inclusion in Diets for Female Broiler Chickens: Implications for Animal Health and Gut Histology. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 234, 253-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2017.09.014.
Broekhoven, Sarah van, Dennis G. A. B. Oonincx, Arnold van Huis, & Joop J.A. van Loon. (2015). Growth Performance and Feed Conversion Efficiency of Three Edible Mealworm Species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on Diets Composed of Organic By-Products. Journal of Insect Physiology, 73, 1-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.12.005.
Deruytter, D., Rumbos, C.I., Adamaki-Sotiraki, C., Tournier, L., Ageorges, V., Coudron, C.L., Yakti, W., Ulrichs, C., Spranghers, T., Berrens, S., Van Peer, M., Bellezza Oddon, S., Biasato, I., Resconi, A., Paris, N., Hotte, N., Hénault-Ethier, L., Gasco, L., & Athanassiou, C.G. (2024). Make it a standard? The creation and variability assessment of a consensus standard protocol for Tenebrio molitor larvae feeding trials. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed (published online ahead of print 2024). DOI: 10.1163/23524588-00001347
Fasce, B., Ródenas, L., López, M. C., Moya, V. J., Pascual, J. J., & Cambra-López, M. (2022). Nutritive Value of Wheat Bran Diets Supplemented with Fresh Carrots and Wet Brewers’ Grains in Yellow Mealworm. Journal of Insect Science, 22 (3). DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac022.
Jajić, I., Krstović, S., Petrović, M., Urošević, M., Glamočić, D., Samardžić, M., Popović, A., & Guljaš, D. (2022). Changes in the Chemical Composition of the Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Reared on Different Feedstuffs. Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences, 31(2), 191-200. DOI: 10.22358/jafs/147848/2022.
Jajić, I., Popović, A., Urošević, M., Krstović, S., Petrović, M., Guljaš, D. (2019). Chemical Composition of Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor) Reared in Serbia. Contemporary Agriculture, 68(1-2), 23-27. DOI: 10.2478/contagri-2019-0005.
Kröncke, N., & Benning, R. (2023). Influence of Dietary Protein Content on the Nutritional Composition of Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor L.). Insects, 14(3), 1-19. DOI: 10.3390/insects14030261.
Li, L., Stasiak, M., Li, L., Xie, B., Fu, Y., Gidzinski, D., Dixon, M., & Liu, H. (2016). Rearing Tenebrio molitor in BLSS: Dietary Fiber Affects Larval Growth, Development, and Respiration Characteristics. Acta Astronautica, 118, 130-136. DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2015.10.003.
Marais, J. P. (2009). Use of Markers. In: Farm Animal Metabolism and Nutrition, 255-277. DOI: 10.1079/9780851993782.0255.
Marco, M. De, Martínez, S., Hernandez, F., Madrid, J., Gai, F., Rotolo, L., Belforti, M., Bergero, D., Katz, H., Dabbou, S., Kovitvadhi, A., Zoccarato, I., Gasco, L., & Schiavone, A. (2015). Nutritional Value of Two Insect Larval Meals (Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens) for Broiler Chickens: Apparent Nutrient Digestibility, Apparent Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility and Apparent Metabolizable Energy. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 209, 211-218. DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.08.006.
Montalbán, A., Martínez-Miró, S., Schiavone, A., Madrid, J., & Hernández, F. (2023). Growth Performance, Diet Digestibility, and Chemical Composition of Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Fed Agricultural By-Products. Insects, 14(10). DOI: 10.3390/insects14100824.
Montalbán, A., Sánchez, C. J., Hernández, F., Schiavone, A., Madrid, J., & Martínez-Miró, S. (2022). Effects of Agro-Industrial Byproduct-Based Diets on the Growth Performance, Digestibility, Nutritional and Microbiota Composition of Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.). Insects, 13(4). DOI: 10.3390/insects13040323.
Nascimento Filho, M. A., Pereira, R. T., Oliveira, A. B. S., Suckeveris, D., Burin Junior, A. M., Soares, C. A. P., & Menten, J. F. M. (2021). Nutritional Value of Tenebrio Molitor Larvae Meal for Broiler Chickens: Metabolizable Energy and Standardized Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility. Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 30(1), 100102. DOI: 10.1016/j.japr.2020.10.001.
Nizza, A., & Di Meo, C. (2000). Determination of Apparent Digestibility Coefficients in 6-, 12- and 18-Week-Old Ostriches. British Poultry Science, 41(4), 518-520. DOI: 10.1080/713654966.
Pascual, J. J., Fasce, B., Martı́nez-de-Pablo, A., Andrade, C., López, M. C., & Cambra-López, M. (2024). Nutritive Value of Cereal Grains, Protein Meals and by-Products for Yellow Mealworms. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 10(6), 949-958. DOI: 10.1163/23524588-00001022
Polovinski Horvatović, M., Jajić, I., Krstović, S., Beuković, D., Vukadinović, M., Popović, A., Petrović, M., & Laćarac, N. (2025). The Growth Performance and Digestibility of Tenebrio Molitor Fed with Two Different Diets. Food and Feed Research, Online First. DOI: 10.5937/ffr0-51937.
Sales, J., & Janssens, G. P. J. (2003a). Methods to Determine Metabolizable Energy and Digestibility of Feed Ingredients in the Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Poultry Science, 82(9), 1457-1461. DOI: 10.1093/ps/82.9.1457.
Sales, J., & Janssens, G. P. J. (2003b). The Use of Markers to Determine Energy Metabolizability and Nutrient Digestibility in Avian Species. World’s Poultry Science Journal, 59(3), 314-327. DOI: 10.1079/WPS20030019.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Miroslava Polovinski Horvatović, Saša Krstović, Marko Vukadinović, Dejan Beuković, Mirko Ivković, Igor Jajić, Miloš Petrović
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
