BACKGROUNDThis study compared the physical-chemical characteristics and the nutrient potential of brewery wastewater (BWW) and apple juice industry sludge referred to as pomace (POM). The use of these wastes as alternative nutrients by replacing the standard components (soya flour, wheat germ and yeast extract) allowed production of a balanced diet for rearing codling moth (CM) larvae. RESULTSThe hydrolysis pretreatment (100 degrees C/30min) contributed to enhancing the nutritive potential (almost 600%) and improved the viscosity (decreased from 770.5 to 435 mPa s for BWW and from 460 to 383 mPa s for POM) of the waste. The BWWH+SF diet supplied higher assimilated nutrients (2.071 mg proteins, 2.274 mg carbohydrates and 0.974 mg lipids) showing higher breeding efficiency (93% hatching, 85% larvae, 76% cocoon and 70% adults).Furthermore, the results of the larvae breeding on BWWH+SF diet was the best which for the enzymatic activity (59.7 UI mL(-1) protease, 2.9 mg L-1 amylase and 1.93 U mg(-1) lipase), consumption rates of proteins (451.79 mg kg(-1)), carbohydrates (396.43 mg kg(-1)) and lipids (91.07 mg kg(-1)) consumed on these diets. CONCLUSIONSBWWH+SF was the best diet with respect to enzymatic activity, consumption of nutrients and larval breeding efficiency compared with POMH+SF and the standard diet. (c) 2013 Society of Chemical Industry