Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food
Food futurists accept that sustainability-minded humanity will increasingly incorporate insects as alternative protein. The most studied and easily reared species are not necessarily the most sustainable, acceptable, or delicious. Here, we review the literature on the black soldier fly, Hermetia ill...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/6/10/91 |
| _version_ | 1818957144018386944 |
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| author | Yu-Shiang Wang Matan Shelomi |
| author_facet | Yu-Shiang Wang Matan Shelomi |
| author_sort | Yu-Shiang Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Food futurists accept that sustainability-minded humanity will increasingly incorporate insects as alternative protein. The most studied and easily reared species are not necessarily the most sustainable, acceptable, or delicious. Here, we review the literature on the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, which is capable of efficiently converting a wide variety of organic materials, from food waste to manure, into insect biomass. They can be grown and harvested without dedicated facilities and are not pestiferous. Their larvae are 42% crude protein and 29% fat, although they are higher in saturated fats than most insects. They do not concentrate pesticides or mycotoxins. They are already grown and recommended for use as animal feed, but with regional legal restrictions on how this is done. For commercial use in human foods, larvae could potentially be milled and converted into a textured protein with a strong flavor. Their biggest advantage over other insects is their ability to convert waste into food, generating value and closing nutrient loops as they reduce pollution and costs. This general advantage is also their greatest disadvantage, for the social stigmas and legal prohibitions against eating organisms that eat waste are added to extant taboos facing insect consumption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:05:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d0c5e0e29394aa0b8ac71e01e4f465e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T11:05:10Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d0c5e0e29394aa0b8ac71e01e4f465e2022-12-21T19:42:53ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582017-10-016109110.3390/foods6100091foods6100091Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human FoodYu-Shiang Wang0Matan Shelomi1Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, TaiwanDepartment of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, TaiwanFood futurists accept that sustainability-minded humanity will increasingly incorporate insects as alternative protein. The most studied and easily reared species are not necessarily the most sustainable, acceptable, or delicious. Here, we review the literature on the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, which is capable of efficiently converting a wide variety of organic materials, from food waste to manure, into insect biomass. They can be grown and harvested without dedicated facilities and are not pestiferous. Their larvae are 42% crude protein and 29% fat, although they are higher in saturated fats than most insects. They do not concentrate pesticides or mycotoxins. They are already grown and recommended for use as animal feed, but with regional legal restrictions on how this is done. For commercial use in human foods, larvae could potentially be milled and converted into a textured protein with a strong flavor. Their biggest advantage over other insects is their ability to convert waste into food, generating value and closing nutrient loops as they reduce pollution and costs. This general advantage is also their greatest disadvantage, for the social stigmas and legal prohibitions against eating organisms that eat waste are added to extant taboos facing insect consumption.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/6/10/91black soldier flyentomophagyindustrial ecologysustainabilityHermetia illucens |
| spellingShingle | Yu-Shiang Wang Matan Shelomi Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food Foods black soldier fly entomophagy industrial ecology sustainability Hermetia illucens |
| title | Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food |
| title_full | Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food |
| title_fullStr | Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food |
| title_short | Review of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) as Animal Feed and Human Food |
| title_sort | review of black soldier fly hermetia illucens as animal feed and human food |
| topic | black soldier fly entomophagy industrial ecology sustainability Hermetia illucens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/6/10/91 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yushiangwang reviewofblacksoldierflyhermetiaillucensasanimalfeedandhumanfood AT matanshelomi reviewofblacksoldierflyhermetiaillucensasanimalfeedandhumanfood |