Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kristian Riolo, Archimede Rotondo, Giovanna Loredana La Torre, Ylenia Marino, Gianluca Antonio Franco, Rosalia Crupi, Roberta Fusco, Rosanna Di Paola, Sabrina Oliva, Giuseppe De Marco, Domenico Savastano, Salvatore Cuzzocrea, Enrico Gugliandolo, Alessia Giannetto
Summary: In this study, protein hydrolysates (BPHs) produced from black soldier fly larvae were characterized and evaluated for their potential biological activity. The BPHs showed antioxidant activity and could protect cells from oxidative stress. These findings suggest that BPHs could be used as ingredients to promote animal health in feed formulations.
Article
Food Science & Technology
J. De Smet, D. Vandeweyer, L. Van Moll, D. Lachi, L. Van Campenhout
Summary: The black soldier fly is the most produced edible insect on an industrial scale, primarily used for animal feed production. Good hygiene and monitoring practices are essential in industrial production to prevent the introduction of foodborne pathogens via the larvae. More research is needed to assess the risk of pathogen introduction in industrial larvae production due to limited data availability.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sruthi Kumar, Lucas Sales Queiroz, Rodolphe Marie, Luis Gustavo Lima Nascimento, Mohammad Amin Mohammadifar, Antonio Fernandes de Carvalho, Chloe Marie Charlotte Brouzes, Heather Fallquist, Wael Fraihi, Federico Casanova
Summary: This study investigates the functionality of black soldier fly larvae protein and the impact of ultrasound treatment on its physicochemical properties. A promising gel system was created using the protein extract, which contributes to the further development of insect-based food.
Article
Biology
Cengiz Kaya, Tomas N. Generalovic, Gunilla Stahls, Martin Hauser, Ana C. Samayoa, Carlos G. Nunes-Silva, Heather Roxburgh, Jens Wohlfahrt, Ebenezer A. Ewusie, Marc Kenis, Yupa Hanboonsong, Jesus Orozco, Nancy Carrejo, Satoshi Nakamura, Laura Gasco, Santos Rojo, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Rudolf Meier, Clint Rhode, Christine J. Picard, Chris D. Jiggins, Florian Leiber, Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Martin Hasselmann, Wolf U. Blanckenhorn, Martin Kapun, Christoph Sandrock
Summary: The study provides the first comprehensive genetic characterization of black soldier fly populations, revealing 16 well-distinguished genetic clusters with significant global population structure. It highlights the dynamic population genetic history and ongoing domestication of black soldier flies, with implications for future research on this emerging insect-livestock model.
Article
Entomology
Zongqing Kou, Xingyu Luo, Yuguo Jiang, Bihui Chen, Yu Song, Yaohui Wang, Jun Xu, Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Yongping Huang
Summary: The black soldier fly (BSF) is a promising insect for waste management due to its ability to convert organic waste into biomass. Researchers have successfully assembled the genome of BSF and identified genes that can improve bioconversion efficiency. They have also developed transgenic methods for gene manipulation and evaluated promoters for gene expression and knockdown efficiency. These findings provide valuable genetic engineering tools for studying BSF and manipulating its genes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhao-Chang Zhang, Peng Gu, Kun-Lun Yang, Min-Xing Zhao, Zhen-Xing Huang, Heng-Feng Miao
Summary: The addition of antioxidants improved the bioconversion efficiency of cyanobacterial blooms by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and reduced the toxic effects of exogenous anti-nutrients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
L. W. Bessa, E. Pieterse, J. Marais, L. C. Hoffman
Summary: Older black soldier fly larvae have higher ash, fat, and chitin content, while lower in moisture and protein compared to younger larvae. Freezing is preferred as the killing method, resulting in lighter colored larvae than blanching.
JOURNAL OF INSECTS AS FOOD AND FEED
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
S. Alagappan, D. Rowland, R. Barwell, S. M. O. Mantilla, D. Mikkelsen, P. James, O. Yarger, L. C. Hoffman
Summary: The commercialization of using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as animal feed is limited due to unclear legislative requirements. This paper discusses the legislative landscape in different regions regarding the use of BSFL as feed. The European Union, Australia, Canada, and the USA specifically allow the trade and manufacture of BSFL as feed under specific conditions, while countries with a tradition of entomophagy are currently drafting regulatory frameworks.
JOURNAL OF INSECTS AS FOOD AND FEED
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nor Fatin Najihah Mohamad Zulkifli, Annita Yong Seok-Kian, Lim Leong Seng, Saleem Mustafa, Yang-Su Kim, Rossita Shapawi
Summary: The nutritional value of black soldier fly larvae processed using three different treatment methods was compared. The analysis showed that the larvae had a good profile of essential amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and nucleotides.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nur Fardilla Amrul, Irfana Kabir Ahmad, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri, Fatihah Suja, Nurul Ain Abdul Jalil, Nur Asyiqin Azman
Summary: The increase in solid waste generation is attributed to global population growth, urban sprawl, economic development, and consumerism. The use of black soldier fly larvae as an organic waste converter offers a solution for efficiently processing various types of organic waste into beneficial proteins and fats used for animal feed, with the residue serving as an organic fertilizer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucas Sales Queiroz, Marine Regnard, Flemming Jessen, Mohammad Amin Mohammadifar, Jens J. Sloth, Heidi Olander Petersen, Fatemeh Ajalloueian, Chloe Marie Charlotte Brouzes, Wael Fraihi, Heather Fallquist, Antonio Fernandes de Carvalho, Federico Casanova
Summary: The study compared the composition of flour and protein extract from black soldier fly larvae and analyzed the protein structure and thermal stability using various methods.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
James Suckling, Angela Druckman, Richard Small, Franjo Cecelja, Madeleine Bussemaker
Summary: The human food supply chain is burdening the environment with waste creation, and surplus foodstuffs could be utilized to reduce this impact. An optimization-based decision support tool has been developed to help bioconversion businesses identify sources of surplus foodstuffs, locate processing facilities, and determine business models. The study focuses on utilizing black soldier fly larvae for bioconversion, presenting a case study using spent brewer's grains as surplus foodstuff in the UK.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. Pas, D. Brodeur, M-H Deschamps, Y. Lebeuf, K. Adjalle, S. Barnabe, M. Eeckhout, G. Vandenberg, C. Vaneeckhaute
Summary: This study investigated the potential of using black soldier fly larvae to process the solid digestate from anaerobic digestion. Larvae fed on enzyme-treated digestate were almost two times larger than larvae fed on crude digestate. However, enzyme-treated digestate did not allow efficient larval growth compared to the standard diet.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Xinfu Li, Shen Zhou, Jing Zhang, Zhihao Zhou, Qiang Xiong
Summary: The black soldier fly larvae have been recognized for their efficient bioconversion of organic waste. Intestinal microorganisms play a crucial role in various insect functions, and the addition of specific bacteria can affect the intestinal microbiota of the larvae. By introducing six different potential functional strains, it was observed that the abundance of Lysinibacillus significantly increased, potentially contributing to the larvae's characteristics.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
K. M. Eggink, J. Dalsgaard
Summary: Black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) is a promising insect species for converting organic side streams into high-protein and high-lipid biomass. However, the presence of chitin in BSF hinders its use in food and feed due to its anti-nutritional properties. This study examined the macronutrient content, including chitin, in all BSF life stages and found that chitin content generally increased throughout the life cycle but varied depending on the quantification method used. The UPLC method was found to be the most accurate and precise for chitin determination in BSF. Summary: This study highlights the importance of considering both the quantification method and BSF life stage when determining chitin content and the Kp factor. Rating: 8/10
JOURNAL OF INSECTS AS FOOD AND FEED
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Angel Llopis-Gimenez, Stefano Parenti, Yue Han, Vera I. D. Ros, Salvador Herrero
Summary: Baculoviruses infecting insects can affect the expression of neuropeptides and neuropeptide-like genes, with the downregulation of proctolin-like peptide (PLP) potentially influencing insect behavior as a neuromodulator. The study showed that decreased expression of PLP after infection led to reduced locomotion activity and growth in infected larvae, suggesting a novel effector involved in behavioral changes during baculovirus infection.
Article
Microbiology
Ingrid Zanella-Saenz, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Jorge E. Ibarra, Ilse Alejandra Huerta-Arredondo, Ma Cristina Del Rincon-Castro
Summary: Fall armyworm (FAW) is an economically important agricultural pest. This study evaluated six baculovirus strains isolated from infected FAW larvae and found differences in their virulence. In addition, in vitro and genomic analyses were conducted to further understand their potential as biological control agents.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Clement Gilbert, Carole Belliardo
Summary: The study revealed the diversity of viral sequences integrated into insect genomes, which can be assigned to different families of RNA and single-stranded DNA viruses. Research on these endogenous viral elements has provided important insights into insect-virus interactions, highlighting the discovery of a new form of adaptive antiviral immunity. The diversity of insect EVE is expected to continue increasing with the sequencing of new insect genomes and exogenous viruses, making paleovirology a dynamic research field in the future.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Luis Hernandez-Pelegrin, Angel Llopis-Gimenez, Cristina Maria Crava, Felix Ortego, Pedro Hernandez-Crespo, Vera I. D. Ros, Salvador Herrero
Summary: By utilizing transcriptome mining, the RNA virome of the medfly was characterized, revealing the presence of multiple viruses, including two novel ones. Field-collected medflies exhibited higher viral diversity compared to laboratory-reared ones. Although these viruses do not cause obvious symptoms in medflies, their interactions may still impact the fitness and ecology of the medfly population.
Article
Biology
Alexandra Cerqueira de Araujo, Elisabeth Huguet, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Jean-Michel Drezen, Thibaut Josse
Summary: The piRNA system controls transposable element mobility and possibly plays a role in antiviral response in insects. Current studies indicate that this antiviral response is mainly found in mosquitoes.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Ada Frattini, Maria Martinez-Solis, Angel Llopis-Gimenez, Maria J. Pozo, Javier Rivero, Cristina M. Crava, Salvador Herrero
Summary: This study provides the first evidence of compatibility between tomato plants and AMF symbiosis with bacterial and viral entomopathogens, contributing to the development of novel approaches for biological pest control.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Veronica Pazmino-Ibarra, Salvador Herrero, Rafael Sanjuan
Summary: This study investigates the joint transmission mechanism of different viral variants and finds that viral variants are spatially segregated during transmission and primary infection, but still interact within the cells of infected insects.
Article
Ecology
Marina Querejeta, Vincent Herve, Elfie Perdereau, Lorene Marchal, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Stephane Boyer, David Giron
Summary: This study explored the differences in bacterial diversity during the four developmental stages of the black soldier fly (BSF) using a metabarcoding approach. The results showed significant changes in bacterial community composition and species richness along the BSF life cycle, and identified nine prevalent core microbiota. The study also inferred 27 potential metabolic pathways differentially used among the BSF life cycle. This research provides a better understanding of metabolic processes during BSF development and their implications for bio-waste processing.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camille Heisserer, Heloise Muller, Veronique Jouan, Karine Musset, Georges Periquet, Jean-Michel Drezen, Anne-Nathalie Volkoff, Clement Gilbert
Summary: This study reveals that parasitoid wasps transfer genes to host cells through chromosomal integration, which may have significant consequences for butterflies.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Clement Gilbert, Florian Maumus
Summary: This article discusses the phenomenon of horizontal transfer of genetic material in insects, with a focus on plant-to-insect transfer. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is mentioned as the species with the most transfers, involving numerous plant-derived genes. The authors argue that plant-to-insect HT may be more common than currently recognized and that further studies on these transfers will provide new insights into insect interactions.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cecile Courret, David Ogereau, Clement Gilbert, Amanda M. Larracuente, Catherine Montchamp-Moreau
Summary: The recent evolution of the Y chromosome in Drosophila simulans is closely linked to X-linked meiotic drivers. The spread of the drivers has led to the selection of drive-resistant Y chromosomes. Through sequencing, it has been found that sensitive Y chromosomes, despite their different origins, are highly similar, suggesting a recent common ancestor. Resistant Y chromosomes are more divergent and segregate into four distinct clusters.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)