Waste oil substrates reshape the black soldier fly larval gut microbiome and biomass composition during bioconversion.

Waste oils support black soldier fly larval growth and reshape gut microbiome composition during bioconversion, with the strongest effects in early-to-intermediate stages.

• Why it matters: Understanding how lipid-rich waste streams influence larval performance and gut microbiota is crucial for optimizing bioconversion processes and managing agricultural waste sustainably.
• What they did: The study evaluated larval performance, microbiome structure, and biomass composition during bioconversion of chicken feed supplemented with three waste oils—AVO, PG, and UCO—measuring changes across the process.
• The result: PG and UCO supported larval growth without significant performance differences from control, while oil supplementation altered larval fat and protein content and shifted fatty-acid profiles, indicating substrate-dependent effects on biomass composition.