Porastom broja stanovnika u svijetu povećava se i potrošnja mesa peradi i jaja, što rezultira i povećanjem peradarske proizvodnje. Za takvu je proizvodnju potrebno osigurati i velike količine hranjivih tvari, među ostalim i bjelančevina, dobrog aminokiselinskog sastava što će podmiriti potrebe brzorastućih hibrida peradi te modernih hibridnih nesilica konzumnih jaja. Uobičajeno se pri tome koristi soja, cijelo zrno odnosno neki od oblika dobivenih njenom preradom. No njena cijena, problemi s transportom, GMO i sl. sve više vode ka istraživanjima o mogućnosti uvođenja alternativnih izvora bjelančevina u hranidbi peradi. Ovdje svakako pripadaju i insekti. Hranidbena vrijednost insekata je vrlo raznolika i to uglavnom zbog velikog broja i varijabilnosti vrsta. Insekti također imaju dobar sastav masnih kiselina te vitamina i pokazalo se da mogu parirati ribljem brašnu, koje je također nekad bilo jedan od glavnih izvora životinjskih bjelančevina u hranidbi životinja, posebice peradi. Ovim se radom daje pregled mogućnosti korištenja alternativnih izvora bjelančevina, odnosno insekata, u hranidbi životinja te istražuje potencijalna upotreba posliježetvene biomase kao novog i inovativnog supstrata za uzgoj jestivih insekata. Posliježetveni ostatci sadrže ogromnu količinu potencijalnog supstrata za hranidbu raznih insekata. Pojedini insekti imaju sposobnost transformirati nutritivno siromašnu posliježetvenu biomasu s niskim udjelom proteina i visokim udjelom antioksidanata i tvrdokornih ugljikohidrata (celuloze i hemiceluloze) u esencijalne hranjive tvari potrebne za njihov rast modulacijom njihove probavne i bazalne diferencijalne ekspresije gena. Konverzija posliježetvene biomase u biomasu insekata za hranu za životinje mogla bi značajno pridonijeti zadovoljavanju budućih potreba na bjelančevinama za hranidbu peradi čiji će se proizvodi koristiti za prehranu sve bržerastuće svjetske populacije.; As the number of inhabitants in the world is increasing, the consumption of poultry meat and eggs is also increasing, resulting in an increase in poultry production. Such production requires the provision of large quantities of nutrients, including protein, with a good amino acid composition that will meet the needs of fast-growing poultry hybrids and modern laying hens hybrids. Usually, soybeans, whole grains or some of the forms obtained by their processing are used. However, its cost, transportation problems, GMOs, etc. are increasingly leading to research into the possibility of introducing alternative protein sources to poultry feeding. Insects certainly belong here. The nutritional value of insects is very diverse, mainly due to the large number and variability of species. Insects also have a high fatty acids and vitamins content and have proved that they can compete with fish meal, which also used to be the main source of animal protein in animal feed, especially poultry. This paper provides an overview of the possibilities of using alternative sources of protein, or insects, in animal nutrition, and explores the potential use of postharvest biomass as a novel and innovative substrate for the edible insects growing. Postharvest residues contain a huge amount of potential substrate for various insects feeding. Certain insects are capable of transforming nutritionally poor postharvest biomass with low protein content and a high antioxidants and dominant carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose) content into essential nutrients necessary for their growth by modulating their digestive basal and differential gene expression. The conversion of postharvest biomass to insect biomass for animal feed could make a significant contribution to meeting future needs in proteins for the poultry feeding, whose products are used to feed rapidly growing world population.