PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Chitin, a major component of the insect exoskeleton, serves as a source of dietary fibre but also acts as an anti-nutritional factor, limiting the bioavailability of protein and minerals in black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. Chitinase enzymes, typically secreted by chitinolytic bacteria such as Actinomycetes, can hydrolyse chitin into simpler, digestible forms. This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient profile and in vitro digestibility of BSF larval meal hydrolysed with chitinase enzyme derived from Streptomyces BLH 5-14. This study was set up with the following treatments: soybean meal; BSF meal without chitinase (EC0); and BSF larval meal treated with chitinase at levels of 2, 4, and 6 units per 100 grams (EC2, EC4, and EC6), each replicated six times in a randomised complete design. The results indicated that chitinase treatment reduced chitin and acid detergent fibre (ADF) content, while crude protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) showed varying trends. ADF content in the EC2 treatment declined from 25.51% to 17.28%, and chitin content dropped from 8.47% to 4.59%. Although bacterial rumen populations rose when the dose was increased to 6 U/100 g, the chitinase enzyme administration up to the level 6 U/100 g to BSF larval meal was insufficient to improve overall digestibility in both the rumen and post-rumen phases. Protein digestibility in the rumen and post-rumen was numerically increased by 12.30% and 5.51%, respectively, in comparison to soybean meal. In conclusion, the application of chitinase enzyme up to level 6 U/100 g to BSF larval meal was inadequate to enhance the overall digestibility in both the rumen and post-rumen stages.