From Waste to Value: Investigating Mushroom Stems from Pleurotus ostreatus Grown on Mealworm Frass as a Nutritional Source for Aquaculture Feed

Soukaina Hilali (), Emilie Stierlin, María Luisa Tello Martín, Diogo Amaral, Margarita Pérez-Clavijo, Mariana Girão, Maria de Fátima Carvalho, Andrea María Pérez Bonilla, Sabas de Diego, Pablo Ramírez and Rodrigo Ozorio ()
Additional contact information
Soukaina Hilali: Celabor, Research Center, Avenue du Parc 38, 4650 Chaineux, Belgium
Emilie Stierlin: Celabor, Research Center, Avenue du Parc 38, 4650 Chaineux, Belgium
María Luisa Tello Martín: Mushroom Technological Research Center of La Rioja (CTICH), Carretera Calahorra, km 4, 26560 La Rioja, Spain
Diogo Amaral: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Margarita Pérez-Clavijo: Mushroom Technological Research Center of La Rioja (CTICH), Carretera Calahorra, km 4, 26560 La Rioja, Spain
Mariana Girão: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Maria de Fátima Carvalho: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Andrea María Pérez Bonilla: Tebrio Group S.L, Ctra. Nacional 620 km 244, 37120 Salamanca, Spain
Sabas de Diego: Tebrio Group S.L, Ctra. Nacional 620 km 244, 37120 Salamanca, Spain
Pablo Ramírez: Tebrio Group S.L, Ctra. Nacional 620 km 244, 37120 Salamanca, Spain
Rodrigo Ozorio: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-23

Abstract: This study investigated mealworm frass as a sustainable substrate for Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation while valorizing mushroom stems as aquaculture feed. Mushrooms were grown on substrates containing 0–15% frass, and nutritional analyses were conducted on both fruiting bodies (for human consumption) and stems (for fish feed). Increasing frass levels significantly enhanced protein content, rising from 7.78% to 22.31% in stems and 24.74% to 30.99% in fruiting bodies. Lipid concentrations showed minor fluctuations while, in contrast, β-glucan content declined with high frass inclusion percentages. Essential amino acid levels peaked at 7.37% in stems (15% frass) and 8.08% in fruiting bodies (12.5% frass). Polyunsaturated fatty acids dominated the fatty acid profile, increasing with high frass levels. Mushroom bodies and stems were additionally investigated for their antimicrobial activity to determine whether they could offer protection against common fish and human pathogens. Antimicrobial assays revealed that dichloromethane extracts from stems grown on 12.5% and 15% frass exhibited inhibitory activity (inhibition zones of 10–11 mm) against Tenacibaculum maritimum , a microorganism that poses a significant threat to aquaculture. These findings highlight mealworm frass as a promising substrate for enhancing mushroom nutritional value while providing a sustainable, protein-rich feed ingredient for aquaculture.

Keywords: oyster mushroom; insect frass; antimicrobial properties; amino acid profile; fatty acid profile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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