Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

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
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Toxicity and bioconversion: Meta-analytical insights into microplastic effects on black soldier fly rearing

This meta-analysis found that microplastics in organic waste can reduce black soldier fly larval growth and survival, though larvae demonstrated some capacity to biodegrade certain plastic polymers. The findings are important because black soldier fly larvae are increasingly used for sustainable waste processing, and microplastic contamination in waste streams could compromise this approach.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
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

KAPASITAS LARVA BLACK SOLDIER FLY (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus, 1758) DALAM MENDEGRADASI LIMBAH ORGANIK YANG TERKONTAMINASI MIKROPLASTIK

Indonesian researchers tested the ability of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to degrade organic waste contaminated with polyethylene (PE) and PET microplastics. The larvae demonstrated measurable degradation of plastic-contaminated organic waste, suggesting a biologically-based approach to managing plastic-mixed organic waste.

2025 Digital Library UIN Sunan Kalijaga (Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University)
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

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

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

Black soldier fly larvae should be considered beyond their use as feedstuff

This review examines emerging applications of black soldier fly larvae beyond their established use as animal feed, including waste valorization and the extraction of bioactive compounds. The study highlights the growing interest in using these insects to process challenging waste streams, including organic materials contaminated with pollutants, and explores novel uses for the bioactive molecules they produce.

2024 Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 18 citations
Article Tier 2

A decade of advances in black soldier fly research: from genetics to sustainability

This review summarizes a decade of research on the black soldier fly, an insect increasingly used for animal feed, human food, and waste processing. The review covers how these insects can help manage organic waste, including research into their ability to break down certain plastics. This is relevant to microplastics research because black soldier flies are being explored as a biological tool for processing plastic waste, though questions remain about whether plastic residues could transfer through the food chain.

2024 Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 19 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
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

Genetic diversity and organic waste degrading capacity of Hermetia illucens from the evergreen forest of the Equatorial Choco lowland

Researchers examined the genetic diversity and organic waste-degrading capacity of black soldier fly larvae from Ecuador's Equatorial Choco lowland, finding the species can process organic waste while also ingesting microplastics that have entered the food chain.

2023 PeerJ 12 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

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

Treatment of food waste contaminated by bioplastics using BSF larvae: Impact and fate of starch-based bioplastic films

Researchers evaluated whether Black Soldier Fly larvae can process food waste contaminated with starch-based bioplastics, finding promising results as bioplastic use in food packaging continues to grow. The study assessed both the impact on larval performance and the fate of the bioplastic material during composting.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Food Waste Management Employing UV-Induced Black Soldier Flies: Metabolomic Analysis of Bioactive Components, Antioxidant Properties, and Antibacterial Potential

This study examined how UV irradiation of black soldier fly larvae affects their food waste processing efficiency and the bioactive compounds in their extracts. UV treatment for 20 minutes enhanced antioxidant activity, antimicrobial properties, and metabolic diversity of larval extracts while maintaining a food waste utilization rate above 70%.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #3 of "Genetic diversity and organic waste degrading capacity of Hermetia illucens from the evergreen forest of the Equatorial Choco lowland (v0.1)"

This is a peer review report for a study on the genetic diversity and plastic-degrading capacity of black soldier fly larvae in Ecuador. The review assessed research on using insects to break down plastic and organic waste as an eco-friendly waste management approach.

2023
Article Tier 2

A comparative study of effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on the growth and development of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens).

Researchers investigated the digestion, accumulation, and excretion of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics in black soldier fly larvae, finding that both types accumulated only in the larval gut and had no adverse effects on larval growth or development. Larvae efficiently excreted microplastics before pupation, suggesting BSFL could process plastic-contaminated organic waste without significant bioaccumulation.

2023 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of chick mash, rice bran, and wheat bran as starter feeds on the performance of black soldier fly larvae in food waste treatment

Researchers evaluated the impact of three starter feeds (rice bran, wheat bran, and chick mash) on the performance of black soldier fly larvae used for food waste bioconversion. The study measured larval weight, substrate reduction, feed conversion ratio, and bioconversion rate to determine optimal starter feed selection for food waste management.

2024 Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Worming the Circular Economy for Biowaste and Plastics: Hermetia illucens, Tenebrio Molitor and Zophobas morio

This paper examines whether insect larvae — black soldier flies, mealworms, and superworms — can help process both organic food waste and plastics as part of a circular economy. COVID-19 increased single-use plastic waste and food waste simultaneously, making combined bioconversion solutions appealing. The authors review evidence for using these insects to reduce two major waste streams at once.

2021 Preprints.org 4 citations
Review Tier 2

Chemical safety of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research: a critical review

This critical review examines the chemical safety of black soldier fly larvae, which are increasingly used as a sustainable protein source for animal feed. Researchers assessed how rearing substrates may introduce contaminants including heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, and microplastics through bioaccumulation. The study identifies significant knowledge gaps in understanding how these contaminants transfer through the larvae into the feed chain and recommends targeted future research.

2021 Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 64 citations