Use Of Restaurant Food Waste And Other Organic Waste In Feeding Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens): A Review

Abstract
Food waste and organic waste in general have become significant global challenges. This review aims to provide insight into how black soldier fly larvae can contribute to addressing this problem. These larvae have shown the ability to thrive on organic waste and convert it into useful products, such as animal feed, biodiesel, frass (which is a valuable fertilizer), and chitin. These products support the principles of circular economy. The review also examines legislative barriers that limit the use of these insects in tackling this challenge. With appropriate regulatory support and infrastructure, black soldier flies can contribute to sustainable food and organic waste management as well as resource recovery.
© 2026 Kosta Nikolić, Vesna Vujasinović, Jovana Bajkanović, Nadežda Seratlić, Maja Paunić, Snježana Gagić Jaraković, published by University of Novi Sad
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.