Breakthrough in Food Processing: Black Soldier Fly Larvae Hold Promise for Industrial Food Production

Strategic Insights -

Scientists at the University of Technology in Bellville, South Africa, have made a significant discovery in the field of food processing, touting the black soldier fly (BSF) larvae as a promising edible insect species for industrial food production. The research team, led by V.V. Mshayisa, has investigated the effect of salting in/out extraction techniques, coupled with ultrafiltration, on BSF larvae protein. Their findings suggest that salting-out extractions and ultrafiltration techniques hold significant potential for protein extraction, particularly for producing insect proteins with excellent nutritional quality for food-related applications.

Key Takeaways:

  • The black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are a promising edible insect species for industrial food production, with high protein content and excellent nutritional quality.
  • Salting-out extractions and ultrafiltration techniques can be used to extract protein from BSF larvae, resulting in protein isolates with high protein content and ordered protein structures.
  • The integration of salting-out extractions and ultrafiltration techniques can produce insect proteins with the largest degree of hydration (DH) values, making them suitable for food-related applications.
  • The research demonstrates the potential of using BSF larvae as a sustainable and nutritious protein source for human consumption.
  • The study provides a new approach to protein extraction, which can be scaled up for industrial food production.

Statistics:

  • The study found that protein isolates extracted using alkaline extraction and acid precipitation (AAF) had a protein content of 6.8 mM/g, while those extracted using salting-in (AAFSI) had a protein content of 6.9 mM/g.
  • Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed a significant N-H free stretching vibration in the spectral range of 3500 - 3200 cm-1 in protein extracts derived from AAFSO and AAFSISO.
  • Circular dichroism analysis revealed that salting-out treatments transformed b-sheet and random coil structures into a-helix and b-turns, indicating a more compact and organized conformation.
  • The study found that AAFSO and AAFSISO had the highest content of ordered protein structures and showed the largest DH values, measured at 141.0 J/g and 137.0 J/g, respectively.

Sources:

  • Mshayisa, V.V. et al. (2025). "Structural properties of black soldier fly larvae protein concentrates extracted via salting-in and salting-out coupled with ultrafiltration." Applied Food Research, 5(1), 100798.
  • University of Technology, Bellville, South Africa
  • Mshayisa, V.V. Department of Food Science and Technology, Cape Peninsula, University of Technology, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
  • Zozo, B. et al. (2025). "Structural properties of black soldier fly larvae protein concentrates extracted via salting-in and salting-out coupled with ultrafiltration." Applied Food Research, 5(1), 100798.
  • NewsRx. (2025, June 10). University of Technology Researchers Describe Advances in Food Processing. Life Science Weekly, p 7494.