Influence of fruit and vegetable waste substrates on the nutritional profile of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae and prepupa

The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larva is widely recognized for efficiently converting organic biowaste into high-quality biomass, making it a key player in organic waste management. However, the nutritional value of the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) is dependent on the substrates they feed on. This study investigated the nutritional profiles of different stages of BSFL- 3rd instar to 5th, and prepupa, reared on two distinct organic wastes, namely fruit (FW) and vegetable waste (VW). Analysis of crude protein, carbohydrate, crude lipid, minerals, and fatty acid composition was conducted across various growth stages, such as 3rd instar to 5th instar, and prepupa. The prepupa stage reared on FW exhibited the highest crude protein content (54.16 +/- 0.64%), while VW 5th instarhad the highest crude lipid content (12.4 +/- 0.20%). BSFL reared on FW displayed a high fatty acid composition with higher saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), regardless of the substrate. Calcium and potassium were the most abundant minerals in BSFL, followed by magnesium, manganese and zinc, with substantial concentration variations between substrates. Amino acid profiling focused only on BSFL reared on FW, due to superior results in the chemical composition analysis, revealing that the prepupal stage contained the highest amount of essential and non-essential amino acids compared to the other stages. This study suggests that BSFL meal has the potential to serve as a novel and sustainable source of nutrient-rich animal feed ingredients in aquaculture and other animal husbandry practices.