Incorporation of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae fat or extruded linseed in diets of growing rabbits and their effects on meat quality traits including detailed fatty acid composition

The inclusion of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) fat or extruded linseed (LIN) in diets for growing rabbits on meat fatty acids (FA), dimethyl acetals (DMA), oxidative stability and color was evaluated. Forty-eight rabbits with 35 days of age were individually housed, fed one of 4 diets (LIN-Low, 30 g/kg of fat from LIN; LIN-High, 60 g/kg of fat from LIN; BSF-Low, 30 g/kg of BSF fat; BSF-High, 60 g/kg of BSF fat) and slaughtered after 5 weeks. Diets with BSF reduced the intramuscular FA but increased the 12:0 and 14:0 in meat compared to LIN, whereas LIN diets increased the 18:3n-3 deposition in meat. Regressions between FA intake and FA meat concentration indicate that the deposition of 12:0 and 14:0 in the meat of BSF-fed rabbits was lower than the deposition of n-3 PUFA in the meat of LIN-fed rabbits. Overall, lipid profiles of meat from BSF-fed rabbits were less healthy, but meat from LIN-fed rabbits was the more susceptible to oxidation. •Black soldier fly (BSF) fat was evaluated as a diet ingredient for growing rabbits.•Lauric acid (12:0) comprised 39.5% of total fatty acids present on BSF fat.•Dietary BSF fat decreased intramuscular fatty acid content compared to linseed fat.•BSF fat greatly increases 12:0 and 14:0 (hypercholesterolaemic fatty acids) in meat.