Alternative and Sustainable Protein Sources in Pig Diet: A Review

Simple Summary Nutritional and anti-nutritional factors of Spirulina, insect larvae such as Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens, rapeseed meal, and grain legumes such as fava beans, peas, lupins, and chickpea are reviewed, in order to re-evaluate the use of these potential protein ingredients in pig diets. The effects on pig performance, digestion, immune system, and the physicochemical and sensorial characteristics of pork are updated. The limits of their use to be accounted for in pig diet formulation are revisited, together with the possible treatments to improve their nutritional value. Abstract The search for alternative protein sources to soybean meal (SBM) in animal feeding is a strategic objective to reduce production costs and contribute to sustainable animal production. Spirulina, due to the high protein content, has emerged as a potential cost-effective, sustainable, viable, and high-nutritional-value food resource for many animal species. Insect larvae (Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens) are also considered potential alternatives to SBM, given their high edible percentage of almost 100%, as well as a protein value higher than that of vegetable proteins. Rapeseed meal and grain legumes, such as fava beans, peas, lupins, and chickpea, can also be used as locally producible protein ingredients. This study reviews the nutritional value of these potential alternatives to SBM in pig diets, and their effects on animal performance, digestion, immune system, and the physicochemical and sensorial characteristics of meat, including processed pork products. The limits on their use in pig feeding are also reviewed to indicate gaps to be filled in future research on the supplementation level of these potential alternative protein sources in pig diets.

• Publication year

  2024

• Venue

  Animals

• Publication date

  2024-01-01

• Fields of study

  Agricultural and Food Sciences, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/ani14020310PMID 38275770PMCID 10812645
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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