Effects of feedstock on larval development and process efficiency in waste treatment with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)

Biowaste treatment by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens) has received global research interest and growing industrial application. Larvae farming conditions, such as temperature, pH, and moisture, have been critically examined. However, the substrate carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), one of the key parameters that may affect larval survival and bioconversion efficiency, is significantly less studied. The current study aimed to compare the nitrogen supplying effects of 9 nitrogen species (i.e., NH4Cl, NaNO3, urea, uric acid, Gly, L-Glu, L-Glu:L-Asp (1:1, w/w), soybean flour, and fish meal) during food waste larval treatment, and further examine the C/N effects on the larval development and bioconversion process, using the C/N adjustment with urea from the initial 21:1 to 18:1, 16:1, 14:1, 12:1, and 10:1, respectively. The food wastes were supplied with the same amount of nitrogen element (1 g N/100 g dry wt) in the nitrogen source trial and different amount of urea in the C/N adjustment trial following larvae treatment. The results showed that NH4Cl and NaNO3 caused significant harmful impacts on the larval survival and bioconversion process, while the 7 organic nitrogen species resulted in no significant negative effect. Further adjustment of C/N with urea showed that the C/N range between 18:1 and 14:1 was optimal for a high waste reduction performance (73.5–84.8%, p < 0.001) and a high larvae yield (25.3–26.6%, p = 0.015), while the C/N range of 18:1 to 16:1 was further optimal for an efficient larval protein yield (10.1–11.1%, p = 0.003) and lipid yield (7.6–8.1%, p = 0.002). The adjustment of C/N influenced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD, p = 0.015), whereas exerted no obvious impact on the larval amino acid composition. Altogether, organic nitrogen is more suitable than NH4Cl and NaNO3 as the nitrogen amendment during larval food waste treatment, addition of small amounts of urea, targeting C/N of 18:1–14:1, would improve the waste reduction performance, and application of C/N at 18:1–16:1 would facilitate the larval protein and lipid bioconversion process.

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Impact of pH and feeding system on black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, L; Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larval development

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0202591 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. e0202591 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Marco Meneguz ◽

Laura Gasco ◽

Jeffery K. Tomberlin

Keyword(s):

Larval Development ◽

Feeding System ◽

Black Soldier Fly ◽

Hermetia Illucens

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Use of Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Food Waste Treatment and Energy Production in Asian Countries: A Review

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9010161 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 161

Author(s):

Chul-Hwan Kim ◽

JunHee Ryu ◽

Jongkeun Lee ◽

Kwanyoung Ko ◽

Ji-yeon Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Organic Waste ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Black Soldier Fly ◽

Hermetia Illucens ◽

Culture Techniques ◽

Environmentally Safe ◽

Hermetia Illucens Larvae

Food waste accounts for a substantial portion of the organic waste generated at an increasing rate worldwide. Organic waste, including food waste, is largely subjected to landfill disposal, incineration, and anaerobic digestion; however, more sustainable methods are needed for treating it. Treatment of organic waste using black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae is an environmentally safe and cost-efficient method that has been attracting increasing attention worldwide. Black soldier fly decomposes various types of organic waste and converts them into high-value biomasses such as oils and proteins. This review introduces the trends in research related to the treatment of organic waste by black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) and their bioconversion efficiencies in Asian countries. Perspectives on the growth of BSFL during waste treatment operation and optimal rearing conditions are provided. The trends in studies related to the application of BSFL as biofuel and animal feed are also discussed. Such use of BSFL would be beneficial in Asia, especially in countries where the technology for processing organic waste is not readily available. This review may provide further directions of investigations including culture techniques for industrial scale applications of BSFL in food waste treatment and resource production in Asian countries.

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Bioconversion performance and development of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) on treated cocoa pod husk

E-Journal Menara Perkebunan ◽

10.22302/iribb.jur.mp.v88i1.365 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 88 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ciptadi Achmad YUSUP ◽

Haryo Tejo PRAKOSO ◽

. SISWANTO ◽

Deden Dewantara ERIS

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Development Time ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Organic Substrates ◽

Black Soldier Fly ◽

Hermetia Illucens ◽

Relative Growth ◽

Low Protein ◽

Cocoa Pod Husk

Indonesia is the third largest cocoa producer in the world, thus the number of cocoa pod husk (CPH) resulted from this activity is abundant. To handle this waste, farmer usually uses it directly as a feed source to small ruminants but this practice is less effective due to its low protein content and it also contains a substantial amount of lignin. Black Soldier Fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae are known as bioconversion agents that can be fed upon various organic substrates and they are also high protein source. The aim of this research was to evaluate the possibility of BSF grown on CPH based on their relative growth rate (RGR), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), waste reduction index (WRI), and development time. Body size of the imago from each treatment was also measured. Larvae were fed with fresh CPH (F), fresh blended CPH (B), composted CPH (C), mix of fresh CPH with food waste (F+FW) and mix of composted CPH with food waste (C+FW). Food waste served as a control. The results of this study show that the most ideal treatment that possible to be applied in cocoa plantation was C+FW treatmentwhich gave average prepupal fresh weight of 11.20 g/100 larvae with 18 days of development time. This treatment had the highest value of WRI and RGR among all treatments. Composted CPH that mixed with food waste treatment also had a shorter development time of BSF larvae.

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Study on Organic Waste Treatment Efficiency and Larval Growth according to Input Amount of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)

Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management ◽

10.9786/kswm.2017.34.3.276 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 276-281

Author(s):

Tae Young Kim ◽

Jin hong Kwon ◽

Gi Hwan Park ◽

Jae Yong Kim

Keyword(s):

Organic Waste ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Treatment Efficiency ◽

Black Soldier Fly ◽

Hermetia Illucens ◽

Organic Waste Treatment ◽

Input Amount

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Unwelcome guests at farms breeding the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera Stratiomyidae)

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed ◽

10.3920/jiff2021.0032 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

M.C. Reguzzi ◽

F. Cominelli ◽

M. Bardone ◽

R. Nicoli Aldini ◽

O. Chiesa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Larval Development ◽

Breeding System ◽

Artificial Diet ◽

Careful Analysis ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Sugar Solution ◽

Black Soldier Fly ◽

Hermetia Illucens ◽

Monomorium Pharaonis ◽

Megaselia Scalaris

Livestock farms represent a source of attraction for other species, which find food resources on the animals themselves, in the food supplied to them, in their manure, etc. Insect farms too can suffer infestation by different organisms living on substrates or behaving as parasites and/or predators. Breeding of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (L.) requires organic materials which are attractive for other arthropods (commensals, mycetophages, scavengers, etc.). During recent years, the breeding system adopted at the Di.Pro.Ve.S. of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (Italy), has suffered the presence of the following ‘pests’: Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera Phoridae), Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera Muscidae), Monomorium pharaonis (L.) (Hymenoptera Formicidae) and Caloglyphus berlesei (Michael) (Astigmata Acaridae). The use of fermented fruit, vegetables or of an artificial diet to induce egg laying proved to be attractive for small flies such as M. scalaris. This species also takes advantage of the aqueous sugar solution used to feed BSF adults. Infestations by M. scalaris are worrying because its larvae can compete efficiently with those of the BSF in substrate colonisation. Likewise, M. stabulans can be attracted by the substrates, even though this species has not shown the same levels of high competitiveness as the previously mentioned species. M. pharaonis was observed to prey on eggs and newborn BSF larvae. Lastly, infestations by the mite C. berlesei were detected when conditions for the larval development of the BSF were not optimal. This species could also be harmful for the workers involved in the breeding. The establishment of insect and mite populations inside BSF rearing boxes suggests that a careful analysis should be made based on the location of the breeding facility and a series of measures should of course be adopted when this kind of structure and activities are designed and realised.

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