The Effect of Strain and Rearing Medium on the Chemical Composition Fatty Acid Profile and Carotenoid Content in Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Pupae

摘要

Simple SummaryThe replacement of environmental-costly resources in food and feed production is now imperative. Insects are recognized to be an effective protein source alternative to fishmeal and soy for animal husbandry. The evaluation of their nutritive properties can offer important insights to determine their potential use as feed. This study compares the pupae body composition of two different silkworm strains: a conventional polyhybrid producing white cocoons and the Nistari with golden yellow cocoons, rich in carotenoids, fed either on fresh mulberry leaves or an artificial diet. The results establish that feeding substrate composition strongly influences the fat and protein content of silkworm pupae. The feeding substrate also positively influences the pupae’ n-3-6 ratio while the carotenoid content is exclusively determined by the strain.