## 1 Introduction  
With the growth of the human population, the risk of protein deficiencies in the human diet increases. This results in the need to seek new edible protein sources [1]. One of the viable solutions is quality nutritional value protein from the larvae of yellow mealworm, black soldier flies, and crickets, which are the most commonly bred insect species in Europe [2]. Insect larvae, including yellow mealworm (_Terebrio molitor_), can also be used as a source of feed for farm animals, including poultry [3], fish [4], and domestic animals [5]. An undoubted advantage of insect larvae farms is their minimal impact on the environment, unlike cattle rearing. Meeting the nutritional needs of growing animal husbandry requires more and more feed. Rearing yellow mealworm larvae are characterized by a high ratio of feed utilization to the obtained protein mass, the value of which is comparable to poultry farming. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the ratio of cereal feed to the final protein product of animal origin is about 17 kg of feed to provide one kg of beef [6]. Insect larvae also use much less water: 1 kg of beef consumes 22,000 L while 1 kg of edible insect protein needs 1 to 10 L of water [7]. It can be stated with full responsibility that mealworm larvae farming has a low ecological footprint. The mealworm larvae do not secrete enteric CH\({}_{4}\) and have a high reproduction rate, typical of insects. Industrial production of insect-derived protein is more energy efficient than animal husbandry or aquaculture. As a result of the life cycle analysis of yellow mealworm larvae, the reduction in the production of greenhouse gases was proved [8]. Insect protein has been classified as a novel food (NF) in accordance with Article to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) issued a positive opinion on the human consumption of frozen and dried yellow mealworm formulations [9]. In this context, sensory tests (appearance, smell, taste, and consistency) of insect larvae as an ingredient of dishes are no longer surprising [10]. It seems reasonable to conclude that insect larvae should be considered the most balanced source of protein rich in amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, and lysine) [11] and minerals (i.e., magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, and manganese) [12], lipids, and calcium [13]. Insect larvae, in particular the black soldier fly, can be used in closed-loop production systems since the insects can convert a wide range of organic waste and by-products into nutritious feed [14], which then returns to the production cycle. In this case, however, the insect larvae are intended only for feed purposes. One of the few publications on the practical issues of the production of yellow mealworm larvae describes the organization of rearing and processing in medium-sized (approx. 400 tons of larvae per year) and very large (approx. 2000 tons of larvae per year) processing installations [15]. However, it is difficult to expect that a few publications will embracingly discuss a set of issues related to planning and scheduling the production of insect larvae. This is partly because the results and outcomes of research that are intended for patenting are not published until patent protection is obtained. An important complement to the issue of how to implement the production process of insect larvae is research on reducing the risk of the rapid spread of pathogens and parasites in insect larvae culture, without the need to use antibiotics [16]. The aim is to prevent and limit the effects of potential epizootics [17]. The answers to the questions of what and how to effectively feed insect larvae are sought. The impact of a diet consisting of organic by-products differing in protein and starch content was checked and then the effectiveness of feed usage and the profile of crude protein and fatty acids of yellow mealworm were assessed [18].