Influence of fruits and vegetables waste pre-treatment on black soldier fly larval growth

Hermetia illuciens, commonly known as black soldier fly (BSF) can convert organic biomass into manure and insect biomass into protein and fat. Currently, in the waste management industry, BSF larvae are predominantly used to convert valorized organic substrates into fertilizer and to produce biogas. They are also alternatively used as viable protein substitutes for animal feed as well as human consumer products. The treatment of organic wastes before BSFL consumption indicated a positive stimulation in the biomass conversion rate, larval growth rate and overall larval performance parameters. The current study was designed to analyze the effect of the bio-stimulation-based pre-treatment strategy of the feed on performance parameters, such as larval weight, larval survival rate, substrate reduction by pre-treatment of biowaste for better growth, efficient performance, and good biomass composition in BSFL. In our study, we noticed significant up- and downregulation of several larval parameters by assessing substrate composition, larval growth parameters and substrate reduction rate. The bio-stimulated waste showed larval weight gain when compared to larvae grown in control feed. The heat pretreated waste was not suitable for larval growth as the parameters assessed were observed to be declined. Further investigations are needed to comprehend how BSFL reared on pretreated substrates enhances the nutritional composition of larvae.