Traceability of insects as feed: stable isotope ratio analysis of <i>Hermetia illucens</i> larvae and pre-pupae reared on different protein sources

Insects attract the interest of agri-food sector because their advantages as feed for livestock. The reason this lies in role insects alternative protein source to soybean and fish meal, common but expensive materials, ability proliferate on waste substrates, thus allowing a sustainable livestock management. purposes can however be problematic, particular with regard safety substrates would reared on. Therefore, effective tracking methods are needed. This study focused investigation, by means isotope ratio mass spectrometry, larvae pre-pupae Hermetia illucens L. (black soldier fly (BSF)) diets including sources vegetable origin (wheat gluten), animal (bovine blood meal), or combination two, order detect differences ratios δ 13 C 15 N. Nitrogen isotopic did not follow an incremental pattern between diets, discrimination BSF pre-pupae, presumably due metabolism that could have influenced fractionation nitrogen. In case carbon increasing trend was observed, directly correlating signature level replacement one. According our observations, it is therefore foreseeable promising method traceability intended feeding. Given paucity studies regard, further research effort needed fully explain some observation reported present ascertain reliability analysis tool tracing feeding history.