Black Soldier Fly Larvae: A Sustainable Protein Source in Animal Feed

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective protein sources in animal feed has necessitated the exploration of alternative solutions. Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae have emerged as a viable high-protein feed ingredient with significant environmental and economic benefits. This review evaluated the effectiveness of BSF larvae as a sustainable protein source for livestock nutrition. Key aspects include protein composition, waste bioconversion efficiency, environmental impact, economic feasibility and challenges for large- scale adoption. Although BSF larvae exhibit high digestibility and essential amino acid profiles, challenges such as regulatory acceptance, production scalability and biosecurity risks remain. Future research should focus on optimizing production, addressing market barriers and enhancing farmer adoption to establish BSF meals as a mainstream feed ingredient. It is also important to do extensive research studies on the sanitization and pathogen reduction properties of BSF in the feeding medium along with its safety to use it as a feed.