Environmental impact assessment of black soldier fly larvae production as a feed

Summary

While insects are increasingly valued for their suitability as a feed in livestock and aquaculture production [1], their environmental superiority to conventional feed counterparts remains largely unconfirmed. To be a viable alternative to conventional feed, insect production systems need to showcase equivalent nutrient outputs at competitive environmental costs. For this, black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) are recognized as a suitable candidate, particularly due to their efficiency in converting a broad range of low-opportunity-cost organic material into valuable protein [1]. However, few studies exist to date which investigate the environmental performance of BSFL feed production systems using primary data [2-4]—therefore their eco-efficiency remains poorly understood. This study addresses this deficiency by assessing the environmental impacts associated with a Swiss facility producing BSFL meal for use in fish and poultry feed.