Data from: Balanced replacement of fish meal with Hermetia illucens meal allows efficient hepatic nutrient metabolism and increased fillet lipid quality in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles

In the present study, gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles were reared using sustainable feeds containing insect meal from Hermetia illucens larvae and poultry by-products meal. Proteomics and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-based metabolomics analysis were used to assess the metabolic impact of tested dietary formulations in sea bream liver, whereas the composition of muscle fillet was characterized by means of metabolomics and gas chromatography of fatty acids methyl esters. Replacing fish meal with insect meal in a 5% fish meal diet did not substantially alter metabolism of dietary nutrients, leading to small but statistically detectable effects solely on lauric acid content of sea bream fillet, and few alterations in some markers of immune response, such as leukocyte elastase inhibitor-like, granzyme B (G,H)-like, and two associated ortholog groups namely serpin B, and chymase). Liver morphology confirmed the absence of structural damage or inflammation in the insect meal-fed group, which showed a lower amount of hepatic lipid deposition and accumulation, too.