Effects of Low Benzoic Acid Concentrations on Growth and Substrate Utilization in Black Soldier Fly Larvae.

ABSTRACT: Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are among the most widely mass-reared insects and develop in moist feed substrates where larvae and microorganisms jointly degrade organic matter but also compete for nutrients. Microbial activity introduces variability and often decreases substrate conversion efficiency (SCE), defined as the ratio of larval biomass produced to substrate consumed. Supplementing feed substrates with antimicrobial agents may suppress microbial activities and thereby enhance the SCE. In this study, BSF larvae were reared on chicken feed supplemented with 0-0.2% benzoic acid at either initial pH = 7.6 or pH ≤ 4, under varying larval densities. Larval weights and CO₂ production from both larvae and substrates were measured periodically. At low pH, benzoic acid lowered t

SUBMITTER: Christiansen TB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12653391 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature