Effects of Brewer's spent grain (BSG) on larval growth of mealworms, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Yellow mealworm is a grain infesting pest that is receiving attention nowadays as an alternative protein source for humans and animals. Its ability to convert low quality feed, like organic by-products, into high-quality food increases its production sustainability. The feeding diet is one of the most important factors in rearing Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), which affects its growth, longevity and nutritional composition. Many by-products have been tested on larvae, but studies are scarce on adults. This work aimed to compare the effect of chicken feed diet (C) and wheat bran (B) by-product, as well as integrating yeast (CY and BY), on the adults’ reproduction and larval growth. Experiment was set up in a complete productive cycle of mass-rearing. The evaluation was done on the reproductive stage of the adults and the development of the larvae until harvesting (appearance of the first pupa). Results showed that the bran-based diets significantly improved the adults’ survival; after 50 days, mean of 110 and 146 adults survived on B and BY diets respectively compared to mean of 23 adults when reared on both chicken feed diets. Besides, wheat bran supplemented with yeast improved the total number of larvae (6,448.2 larvae) compared to bran diet (4,016.7 larvae). Whereas the two chicken feed-based diets had significant positive effect on the average larval weight; the maximum weight reached was 116.3 mg and 145.8 mg for larvae read on C and CY diets respectively compared to 47.8 mg and 57.3 mg on B and BY diets. Nevertheless, in 50 days of reproduction, the total larval biomass was highest on bran supplemented with yeast (283.1 g). In conclusion, the increase of sustainability and efficiency in mass-rearing of mealworms is possible by using appropriate diets on respective stages; bran-based diets for reproduction and chicken feed-based diets for larval growth.

Download Full-text

Effect of population density and photoperiod on larval growth and reproduction of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science ◽

10.1007/s42690-021-00707-0 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Jamaa Zim ◽

Mohammed Sarehane ◽

Ahmed Mazih ◽

Patrick Lhomme ◽

Rachid Elaini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

Growth And Reproduction ◽

Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Download Full-text

Productivity and larval growth of Tenebrio molitor reared on differently composed diets of similar nutritional composition

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed ◽

10.3920/jiff2021.0058 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

S. Naser El Deen ◽

F. Lamaj

Keyword(s):

Wheat Bran ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

Nutritional Composition ◽

Brewer’S Yeast ◽

Larval Weight ◽

Brewer's Yeast ◽

Wide Range ◽

Spent Grain ◽

By Products

The artificial diet of Tenebrio molitor has been a focal point of many studies that aimed to design the best diet combination. Recently, studies are focusing on the use of by-products and their efficiency as diets for rearing T. molitor. The rearing was successful on a wide range of by-products-based diets. The feed has a profound impact on the lifespan, growth, productivity and nutritional composition of T. molitor. Productivity is one of the traits highly influenced by the diet’s composition, especially macronutrients. This work aims to study the effect of eight different diets on the weight and productivity of females and their progeny weight: larval weight. Wheat bran, brewer’s yeast, spent grain and bread remains were used to compose the diets, based on different inclusion percentages of each by-product. The nutritional composition, mainly the macronutrients, of the diets had a narrow range of differences. The diets were designed in a way to avoid the effect of different nutritional compositions and study the effect of the by-products type only. Results showed that the female’s weight-change during the egg-laying period was not significant under different rearing diets. Moreover, the female’s productivity measured by the larval number showed no significant difference between the different diets. However, the total larval biomass (452.4 mg) was significantly higher for larvae reared on diet A composed of wheat bran and brewer’s yeast. Also, the total mean larval weight was significantly higher for larvae reared on diets A (3.1 mg) and G (3.2 mg) composed of wheat bran, brewer’s yeast and spent grain. The mentioned diets although composed of different by-products have similar amounts of protein and carbohydrates. These results prove that the type of by-products included in the experimental diets does not affect the reproductive performance of T. molitor, while it can affect larval growth.

Download Full-text

Biosurfactant from endophytic Bacillus pumilus 2A: physicochemical characterization, production and optimization and potential for plant growth promotion

Microbial Cell Factories ◽

10.1186/s12934-021-01533-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Olga Marchut-Mikołajczyk ◽

Piotr Drożdżyński ◽

Arkadiusz Polewczyk ◽

Wojciech Smułek ◽

Tadeusz Antczak

Keyword(s):

Phaseolus Vulgaris ◽

Carbon Source ◽

Plant Growth ◽

Taguchi Method ◽

Beta Vulgaris ◽

Food Processing ◽

Bacillus Pumilus ◽

Brewer’S Spent Grain ◽

Spent Grain ◽

By Products

Abstract Background Microbial surfactants called biosurfactants, thanks to their high biodegradability, low toxicity and stability can be used not only in bioremediation and oil processing, but also in the food and cosmetic industries, and even in medicine. However, the high production costs of microbial surfactants and low efficiency limit their large-scale production. This requires optimization of management conditions, including the possibility of using waste as a carbon source, such as food processing by-products. This papers describes the production and characterization of the biosurfactant obtained from the endophytic bacterial strain Bacillus pumilus 2A grown on various by-products of food processing and its potential applications in supporting plant growth. Four different carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, inoculum concentration and temperature were optimized within Taguchi method. Results Optimization of bioprocess within Taguchi method and experimental analysis revealed that the optimal conditions for biosurfactant production were brewer’s spent grain (5% w/v), ammonium nitrate (1% w/v), pH of 6, 5% of inoculum, and temperature at 30 °C, leading to 6.8 g/L of biosurfactant. Based on gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis produced biosurfactant was determined as glycolipid. Obtained biosurfactant has shown high and long term thermostability, surface tension of 47.7 mN/m, oil displacement of 8 cm and the emulsion index of 69.11%. The examined glycolipid, used in a concentration of 0.2% significantly enhanced growth of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (bean), Raphanus L. (radish), Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot). Conclusions The endophytic Bacillus pumilus 2A produce glycolipid biosurfactant with high and long tem thermostability, what makes it useful for many purposes including food processing. The use of brewer’s spent grain as the sole carbon source makes the production of biosurfactants profitable, and from an environmental point of view, it is an environmentally friendly way to remove food processing by products. Glycolipid produced by endophytic Bacillus pumilus 2A significantly improve growth of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (bean), Raphanus L. (radish), Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot). Obtained results provide new insight to the possible use of glycolipids as plant growth promoting agents.

Download Full-text

Potential of Brewer’s Spent Grain as a Potential Replacement of Wood in pMDI, UF or MUF Bonded Particleboard

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13030319 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 319

Author(s):

Marius Cătălin Barbu ◽

Zeno Montecuccoli ◽

Jakob Förg ◽

Ulrike Barbeck ◽

Petr Klímek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Internal Bond ◽

Mechanical Performance ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Urea Formaldehyde ◽

Modulus Of Rupture ◽

Brewer’S Spent Grain ◽

Beer Brewing ◽

Removal Of Heavy Metals ◽

Dry Conditions ◽

Spent Grain

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is the richest by-product (85%) of the beer-brewing industry, that can be upcycled in a plentiful of applications, from animal feed, bioethanol production or for removal of heavy metals from wastewater. The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanical, physical and structural properties of particleboard manufactured with a mixture of wood particles and BSG gradually added/replacement in 10%, 30% and 50%, glued with polymeric diisocyanate (pMDI), urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine urea-formaldehyde (MUF) adhesives. The density, internal bond, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, screw withdrawal resistance, thickness swelling and water absorption were tested. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy anaylsis was carried out to analyze the structure of the panels after the internal bond test. Overall, it was shown that the adding of BSG decreases the mechanical performance of particleboard, due to reduction of the bonding between wood and BSG particles. This decrease has been associated with the structural differences proven by SEM inspection. Interaction of particles with the adhesive is different for boards containing BSG compared to those made from wood. Nevertheless, decrease in the mechanical properties was not critical for particleboards produced with 10% BSG which could be potentially classified as a P2 type, this means application in non-load-bearing panel for interior use in dry conditions, with high dimensional stability and stiffness.

Download Full-text

Recycling of Brewer’s Spent Grain as a Biosorbent by Nitro-Oxidation for Uranyl Ion Removal from Wastewater

ACS Omega ◽

10.1021/acsomega.1c00589 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yi Su ◽

Marco Wenzel ◽

Silvia Paasch ◽

Markus Seifert ◽

Wendelin Böhm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Uranyl Ion ◽

Brewer’S Spent Grain ◽

Ion Removal ◽

Spent Grain

Download Full-text

Anticholinesterase Activities of Different Solvent Extracts of Brewer’s Spent Grain

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10050930 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 930

Author(s):

Rares I. Birsan ◽

Peter Wilde ◽

Keith W. Waldron ◽

Dilip K. Rai

Keyword(s):

Ethyl Acetate Fraction ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Total Polyphenol ◽

Brewer’S Spent Grain ◽

Dietary Polyphenols ◽

Synthetic Drugs ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Diferulic Acid ◽

Spent Grain ◽

Butyryl Cholinesterase

Cholinesterases, involved in acetylcholine catabolism in the central and peripheral nervous system, have been strongly linked with neurodegenerative diseases. Current therapeutic approaches using synthetic drugs present several side effects. Hence, there is an increasing research interest in naturally-occurring dietary polyphenols, which are also considered efficacious. Food processing by-products such as brewer’s spent grain (BSG) would be a potential bio-source of polyphenols. In this study, polyphenol-rich BSG extracts using 60% acetone and 0.75% NaOH solutions were generated, which were further subjected to liquid–liquid partitioning using various organic solvents. The water-partitioned fractions of the saponified extracts had the highest total polyphenol content (6.2 ± 2.8mgGAE/g dw) as determined by Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, while the LC-MS/MS showed ethyl acetate fraction with the highest phenolics (2.9 ± 0.3mg/g BSG dw). The best inhibitions of acetyl- (37.9 ± 2.9%) and butyryl- (53.6 ± 7.7%) cholinesterases were shown by the diethyl ether fraction of the saponified extract. This fraction contained the highest sum of quantified phenolics (99 ± 21.2µg/mg of extract), and with significant (p < 0.01) inhibitory contribution of decarboxylated-diferulic acid. Amongst the standards, caffeic acid presented the highest inhibition for both cholinesterases, 25.5 ± 0.2% for acetyl- and 52.3 ± 0.8% for butyryl-cholinesterase, respectively, whilst the blends insignificantly inhibited both cholinesterases. The results showed that polyphenol-rich BSG fractions have potentials as natural anti-cholinesterase agents.

Download Full-text