Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Impact of Processed Food (Canteen and Oil Wastes) on the Development of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae and Their Gut Microbiome Functions

Researchers tested canteen food waste and oil separator waste as diets for black soldier fly larvae. The study found that canteen food waste was an effective larval diet with high consumption and waste reduction rates, while oil separator waste severely inhibited growth and caused up to 96% larval mortality, highlighting the importance of waste stream selection for insect-based waste management.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Hermetia illucens in diets for zebrafish (Danio rerio): A study of bacterial diversity by using PCR-DGGE and metagenomic sequencing

Researchers studied how feeding zebrafish different diets based on black soldier fly larvae affected the bacterial diversity of the fish gut. Understanding gut microbiome responses to diet is relevant to assessing how microplastics ingested alongside food disrupt the gut microbiome of aquatic organisms.

2019 PLoS ONE 46 citations
Review Tier 2

Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Microbiome and Microbe Interactions: A Scoping Review

This scoping review examined all peer-reviewed literature on the microbiome of black soldier fly larvae, which are farmed worldwide to convert organic waste into biomaterials. Researchers found no evidence of a universally conserved core microbiome, as diet strongly shaped gut bacterial communities, though certain genera appeared frequently across studies regardless of diet. The review highlights the potential of gut-associated microbes as probiotics to improve larval fitness and bioconversion rates.

2024 Animals 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) as a high-potential agent for bioconversion of municipal primary sewage sludge

Researchers tested whether black soldier fly larvae could safely process municipal sewage sludge — a major waste management challenge — by feeding the sludge mixed with a standard insect diet to larvae. The larvae survived well and reduced concentrations of heavy metals like copper and zinc below legal limits, suggesting this insect-based bioconversion could turn a problematic waste stream into useful protein, lipids, and soil conditioner.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics affected black soldier fly (Hermetiaillucens) pupation and short chain fatty acids

Researchers exposed black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae to polypropylene microplastics and found that MP exposure delayed pupation, altered larval development, and shifted gut short-chain fatty acid profiles, suggesting that microplastics disrupt both development and gut microbiome function in this widely used bioconversion insect.

2021 Journal of Applied Entomology 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the diet of Hermetia illucens: Implications for development and midgut bacterial and fungal microbiota

Researchers fed black soldier fly larvae diets containing PVC microplastics at various concentrations and found the insects could tolerate even high levels (20% of diet) without significant increases in death rates. The larvae ingested and reduced the size of the plastic particles, and while their overall gut microbial diversity remained stable, certain bacterial and fungal populations shifted. This suggests black soldier flies could potentially help process plastic waste, though the safety of using these insects as animal feed after plastic exposure needs further study.

2024 Waste Management 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Farmed insects for sustainable food systems

This thesis investigates farmed black soldier fly larvae as a sustainable food system component, examining nutrient flows during larval rearing on agri-food residues and pig manure, larval dietary preferences, incorporation of manure nitrogen into larval biomass, global warming potential, and principles for responsible use of farmed insects as livestock feed.

2022 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics shape the black soldier fly larvae gut microbiome and select for biodegrading functions

Researchers found that black soldier fly larvae can adapt their gut microbiome to digest a wide range of plastics, shifting their microbial communities to favor biodegrading functions. This suggests the insects could serve as living incubators for discovering new plastic-breaking enzymes for industrial cleanup applications.

2023 Microbiome 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiome of black soldier fly larvae for efficient use and purification of organic waste: An environmentally friendly development concept

This review examines how black soldier fly larvae and their gut bacteria can break down organic waste, including microplastics, heavy metals, and antibiotics. The larvae's gut microbiome plays a key role in degrading these harmful substances while converting waste into useful protein and fertilizer. This biological approach could help reduce the amount of microplastic-contaminated waste that enters the environment and food chain.

2025 The Innovation Life 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of heavy metals, microplastics, and food pathogens on black soldier fly larvae

Researchers fed black soldier fly larvae substrates contaminated with heavy metals, microplastics, and food pathogens to evaluate tolerance and bioconversion efficiency, finding that certain contaminants reduced larval performance and bioconversion rates with implications for insect-based waste recycling.

2025 Lirias (KU Leuven)
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and salinity on food waste processing by black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae

Researchers investigated how microplastics and salinity levels affect the ability of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) to process food waste, finding that both factors can negatively influence larval growth, survival, and food waste degradation efficiency. The results highlight challenges for using this insect as a bioconversion tool in contaminated or coastal waste streams.

2020 Journal of Ecology and Environment 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Examining the potential of plastic-fed black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) as "bioincubators" of plastic-degrading bacteria.

Researchers examined whether black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) fed on plastic waste can serve as 'bioincubators' for plastic-degrading bacteria, investigating how gut microbiota shifts in response to plastic-containing diets and whether these bacteria retain degradation activity.

2025 Journal of applied microbiology
Article Tier 2

Exposure of black soldier fly larvae to microplastics of various sizes and shapes: Ingestion and egestion dynamics and kinetics

Researchers studied how black soldier fly larvae, used to convert food waste into animal feed, interact with microplastics of different sizes and shapes. The larvae ingested microplastics along with their food but could not fully break them down, passing most of them through in their waste. This raises food safety concerns because if microplastics persist in the larvae, they could transfer up the food chain when the larvae are used as feed for livestock or fish.

2025 Waste Management 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficacy of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Meal as Feed on Growth Performance for Juvenile Javan Mahseer (Tor tambra)

Black soldier fly larvae meal was tested as a replacement for fishmeal in feed for juvenile Javan Mahseer fish to address the sustainability crisis of fishmeal dependency. Growth performance was evaluated under different substitution levels. This research supports alternatives to overfishing-linked fishmeal while maintaining aquaculture productivity.

2022 Journal Of Agrobiotechnology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of Organic Waste Feed Combination on Growth Rate and Nutrient Content of Hermetia Illucens Larvae

This study examines how different organic waste feed combinations affect the growth and nutritional content of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae. While not directly about microplastics, these larvae are also studied for their ability to biodegrade plastic waste.

2023 MANILKARA Journal of Bioscience
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the Growth Performance, Feed Utilization Intestinal Health, and Blood Biomarkers of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fed Fish Meal-Free Diets

Researchers tested yellow mealworm meal as a replacement for fishmeal in Nile tilapia diets, finding that adding the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae improved fish growth, gut health, liver condition, and immune function. This suggests insect-based feeds combined with probiotics can sustainably replace traditional fishmeal in aquaculture.

2023 Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and excretion dynamics of microplastics by black soldier fly larvae and correlation with mouth opening size

Researchers examined how black soldier fly larvae ingest and excrete microplastics, finding that particle ingestion and excretion dynamics correlate with mouth opening size, raising food safety concerns for larvae used as animal feed.

2023 Scientific Reports 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Performance of Hermetia illucens Bioconversion in a Medium-Scale Mass Rearing System to Valorize Agri-Food Industrial Residue

Researchers used life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental performance of black soldier fly larvae bioconversion across six agro-industrial residues at medium scale, finding it offers a promising circular pathway for valorizing food waste while reducing plastic-associated environmental burdens.

2025 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Effect of heat treatment on microbiological safety of supermarket food waste as substrate for black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens)

Researchers found that heating contaminated supermarket food waste to 60°C for just 10 minutes effectively kills dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus, making it safe to use as feed for black soldier fly larvae. The larvae actually grew better on the food waste than on standard insect diets, suggesting heat-treated food waste is both safe and nutritionally superior for insect farming.

2023 Waste Management 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variability of the HO.RE.CA. food leftovers employed as a feeding substrate for black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae and effects on the rearing performance

This study analyzed the seasonal nutritional variability of food waste from hospitality sector sources used to feed black soldier fly larvae, finding significant variation in moisture, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content across seasons that affected larval growth performance and rearing outcomes.

2023 Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing the bioconversion rate and end products of black soldier fly (BSF) treatment – A comprehensive review

Researchers reviewed how black soldier fly larvae can efficiently convert organic waste — including food scraps and manure — into protein-rich feed, fertilizer, and biofuel, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional livestock farming. Their work highlights the larvae's potential to reduce plastic and food waste pollution while supporting global food security.

2024 Environment Development and Sustainability 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Life-history traits of black soldier fly reared on agro-industrial by-products subjected to three pre-treatments: a pilot-scale study

Black soldier fly larvae were evaluated for their ability to convert agro-industrial by-products into biomass and frass fertilizer, with performance varying across by-product types depending on fiber content and pathogen load. The study supports BSF farming as a scalable solution for valorizing low-quality organic waste streams while generating protein for animal feed.

2022 Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic side streams (bioproducts) as substrate for black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) intended as animal feed: chemical safety issues

This review examines chemical safety hazards of black soldier fly larvae reared on organic waste substrates as animal feed, finding that larvae can accumulate heavy metals, excrete mycotoxins, and reduce pesticide concentrations, while microplastics and organic pollutants do not appear to alter larval growth or composition.

2022 Animal Production Science 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastic size affects uptake and digestive tract region residence time in black soldier fly larvae during food waste bioconversion

Researchers studied how black soldier fly larvae, increasingly used to recycle food waste, handle micro- and nanoplastics of different sizes during digestion. They found that nanoplastics remained in the gut significantly longer than larger microplastics and were retained even after the larvae stopped eating contaminated food. The findings raise concerns that nanoplastics could enter the food chain when larvae-derived products are used as animal feed or fertilizer.

2025 Waste Management 3 citations