Effect of a whole feather diet on the growth and survivability of the Black Carpet Beetle for waste stream transformation to insect protein

Keratin waste has become a significant side effect of meat production and processing that needs urgent addressing. This study was to explore the potential of Black Carpet Beetle as one of the few species known to metabolize feather keratin. Rearing larvae on raw feathers revealed no significant differences in overall survivability and number of larval molts compared with the control diet, though growth was stunted. At the end of the study, up to 42% of the original feather mass was consumed by the larvae, with approximate digestibility varying between 68-89%. Gut enzyme analysis confirmed keratinolytic activity in the larval digestive tract. Furthermore, protein content in larvae reared on a feather diet surpassed control-fed larvae in overall protein content (.790 mg/mL vs .628mg/mL per 1 mg of live larval weight). Our study demonstrated the Black Carpet Beetle as a promising biological fermenter for sustainably converting feather protein into insect protein.