The poultry industry faces increasing pressure to enhance sustainability, improve animal welfare standards, and maintain production efficiency. Black Soldier Fly Larvae offer a multifaceted solution addressing these interconnected challenges. Their adoption is accelerating across diverse production systems—including broiler, layer, organic, and free-range—supported by accumulating scientific evidence and growing commercial availability.
CFO and Co-Founder
Flybox®
Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) offer a sustainable feed solution that supports poultry gut health, strengthens immunity, and promotes natural behaviours. Rich in functional nutrients like lauric acid, they enhance flock resilience while reducing environmental impact. Now adopted globally, BSFL signal a smarter, welfare-focused approach to poultry nutrition.
INSECT PROTEIN IS NO LONGER NICHE
A significant development is under way in poultry nutrition. Around the world, feeds derived from BSFL are being adopted by smallholders and commercial producers alike. The reasons are clear: BSFL offer a powerful combination of nutritional value, functional health benefits, and environmental sustainability.
From Europe to Africa and Southeast Asia, BSFL are becoming an increasingly viable alternative to conventional protein sources like soy and fishmeal. They provide producers with greater feed autonomy, improved animal welfare outcomes, and a reduced environmental footprint. As regulatory frameworks evolve and supply chains expand, BSFL are shifting from niche ingredient to mainstream nutritional solution.
BUILT FOR BIRD HEALTH: WHAT MAKES BSFL UNIQUE
Black Soldier Fly Larvae are naturally suited to poultry nutrition, offering a dense and digestible protein source with functional properties that go far beyond basic growth support.
Their protein content typically ranges from 40 to 50 per cent, boasting a robust amino acid profile that includes lysine and methionine—essential building blocks for muscle development, feather quality, and egg production. Lysine supports muscle protein synthesis, while methionine plays a vital role in feather formation and metabolic processes. Compared to conventional protein sources, BSFL generally offer a favourable lysine profile and competitive methionine levels, although precise diet formulation considering inclusion rates and bird requirements remains essential.
Furthermore, the protein in BSFL meal is highly digestible, allowing for efficient nutrient absorption which supports optimal growth and productivity.
In addition to protein, BSFL contain up to 35 per cent fat. A key characteristic is the high concentration of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), particularly lauric acid, along with capric and caprylic acid. Lauric acid exhibits antimicrobial properties by disrupting the lipid membranes of certain gut pathogens and enveloped viruses, thereby helping to suppress their populations and support gut integrity. Feeding BSFL may also influence the fatty acid profile of the resulting meat and eggs, potentially increasing MCFA content, an area of ongoing research.
The larvae are also naturally rich in calcium and phosphorus—essential for skeletal development and eggshell strength—with a typically high Ca:P ratio that can be beneficial for layers, provided the overall diet is appropriately balanced. Importantly, these minerals demonstrate good bioavailability, enhancing uptake and utilisation by the bird.
Essential trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron, and copper are also present and play key roles in supporting immunity, metabolism, and various enzyme functions.
Chitin, found in the larvae’s exoskeleton, acts as a prebiotic fibre. It can support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Research indicates that chitin and its derivative chitosan may also stimulate the bird’s innate immune system by interacting with gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), potentially enhancing resistance to infections and contributing to gut homeostasis.2
GUT HEALTH, PERFORMANCE, AND REDUCING ANTIBIOTIC NEED
A balanced gut microbiome (eubiosis) is crucial for optimal bird performance. BSFL contribute to establishing and maintaining eubiosis through the combined action of their antimicrobial lipids and prebiotic fibres, which can help modulate the gut microbiota composition and support digestive function.
Studies have observed positive effects on intestinal morphology in BSFL-fed birds, including increased villus height, indicative of enhanced nutrient absorptive surface area. In disease challenge models, birds receiving BSFL may exhibit reduced gut lesion scores and demonstrate improved recovery from intestinal stress.3 These improvements in gut health and nutrient utilisation can directly translate to better feed conversion ratios (FCR), allowing birds to achieve target weights or production levels with lower feed consumption. This yields benefits for both economic efficiency and resource sustainability.
Importantly, the gut health and immune-modulating properties attributed to BSFL may contribute to a reduced reliance on routine antibiotic use. In line with global efforts towards antimicrobial stewardship, BSFL offer a nutritional strategy to support flock health management.
WELFARE STARTS WITH BEHAVIOUR
Supporting poultry welfare involves enabling natural behaviours, not solely preventing disease. Providing live BSFL can play a meaningful role in behavioural enrichment by stimulating instinctive foraging actions such as pecking, scratching, and exploring.
This type of engagement helps reduce stress and discourages the development of abnormal behaviours like injurious feather pecking or cannibalism in enriched environments, which can arise from lack of stimulation or frustration in certain housing environments. Birds offered live larvae often appear calmer, are more active, and may show improved feather coverage—indicators commonly associated with better welfare. The increased physical activity encouraged by foraging might also contribute positively to leg strength and potentially reduce the incidence of locomotion issues, particularly in broilers.
Live larvae provide sustained periods of engagement compared to static enrichment objects. Even when incorporated in dried or meal form, BSFL generally exhibit high palatability, encouraging feed intake. This characteristic can be particularly valuable during periods of stress, such as heat stress or post-vaccination recovery, when appetite suppression may occur.
BSFL AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
BSFL contribute significantly to sustainability through their capacity to convert organic side-streams into high-value outputs. They can be effectively reared on a diverse range of substrates, including pre-consumer food processing residues, brewers’ spent grains, certain agricultural by-products, and other regionally approved materials according to feed safety regulations.
This bioconversion process yields not only protein-rich biomass and energy-dense oils but also frass—the larval excrement mixed with substrate residue. Frass is recognised as a valuable co-product, functioning as a natural biofertiliser rich in organic matter and plant nutrients (N, P, K). Its application can enhance soil health, stimulate microbial activity, and support crop productivity, thereby effectively contributing to circular resource flows within agri-food systems.
Compared to conventional soybean cultivation or wild fish harvesting for fishmeal, BSFL production generally requires significantly less land and water resources and helps alleviate pressure on marine ecosystems. Consequently, insect protein is increasingly considered a key component of sustainable agriculture.
PROCESSING, PRODUCT FORMATS, AND REGULATION
BSFL can be utilised in several formats within poultry diets: live larvae primarily for enrichment; whole dried larvae; or more commonly in large-scale feed production, as defatted meal providing concentrated protein, and extracted oil supplying energy and functional lipids. Processing methods, including drying techniques (e.g., oven, microwave) and defatting procedures, can influence the final nutritional profile and storage stability.
Globally, regulatory bodies are progressively establishing frameworks to support the safe and effective use of insect protein in animal feed. Notable approvals, such as those by the EU and UK for use in poultry feed, and GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) status for specific BSFL ingredients in the US, are facilitating wider market adoption. This regulatory progress helps build industry confidence.4
Consumer acceptance studies generally indicate openness towards meat and egg products derived from animals fed insect-based diets, particularly when information regarding the associated sustainability and welfare benefits is provided.
While the scaling of industrial BSFL production continues, production costs are becoming increasingly competitive as technology matures and supply chains expand. Potential economic advantages for poultry producers include improved FCR, potentially reduced costs associated with health interventions, and the ability to market products with enhanced sustainability credentials.
FEEDFLOW: INTEGRATING NUTRITION WITH PRECISION WELFARE TOOLS
In the UK, the FeedFlow project, led by Flybox®, represents an initiative exploring how insect-based nutrition can be integrated with advanced technologies to simultaneously improve bird welfare, performance, and sustainability metrics in poultry production.
Supported by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and delivered by Innovate UK, the project brings together a consortium of partners including universities (Chester, Nottingham Trent), commercial farms (Courteenhall, Menchine), construction specialists (Clarke Group), and AI technology providers (FLOX).
The project centres on the integration of fortified BSFL into poultry diets as a rapid-response nutritional tool, supporting gut health, immune function, and behavioural enrichment. This is combined with FLOX360, an AI-powered computer vision platform that continuously monitors flock behaviour—tracking distribution, activity levels, and early signs of welfare concerns such as huddling, aggression, or reduced mobility.
This data stream enables precision farming approaches, allowing producers to make timely, targeted adjustments to environmental conditions (e.g., ventilation, lighting) or management practices, and facilitates early detection of potential health issues. This supports a shift from reactive to proactive flock management.
The FeedFlow project also incorporates a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by the University of Chester, ensuring that innovations in health and welfare are validated by quantifiable reductions in environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption.
INSECT PROTEIN AT THE CENTRE OF FUTURE SYSTEMS
The poultry industry faces increasing pressure to enhance sustainability, improve animal welfare standards, and maintain production efficiency. BSFL offer a multifaceted solution addressing these interconnected challenges. Their adoption is accelerating across diverse production systems—including broiler, layer, organic, and free-range—supported by accumulating scientific evidence and growing commercial availability.
Whether through improved nutrient utilisation, contributing to reduced reliance on antibiotics, facilitating the expression of natural behaviours, or enabling participation in a circular economy, BSFL are helping to reshape the standards for responsible and sustainable poultry nutrition.
With scalable production technologies advancing, regulatory acceptance widening, and market recognition growing, insect protein derived from BSFL is transitioning from an alternative ingredient to a strategic component for future-ready poultry production systems.
References
1El-Hack, M. E. A., Shafi, M. E., Alghamdi, W. Y., Abdelnour, S. A., Shehata, A. M., Noreldin, A. E., Ashour, E. A., Swelum, A. A., Al-Sagan, A. A., Alkhateeb, M., Taha, A. E., Abdel-Moneim, A.-M. E., Tufarelli, V., & Ragni, M. (2020). Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Meal as a Promising Feed Ingredient for Poultry: A Comprehensive Review. Veterinary Sciences, 7(3), 103.
2Yu, Z., Alouffi, A., Al-Olayan, E., Alshammari, F. A., Alanazi, A. D., & Alanazi, A. K. (2024). Efficacy of liver free and Chitosan against Eimeria tenella in chickens. BMC Veterinary Research, 20, 314.
3Fiorilla, E., Ferrocino, I., Gariglio, M., Trocino, A., Macori, G., Novelli, E., Mantia, A. L., Mastretta, M., Soglia, D., Bonfante, F., Candellone, A., Valori, S., Antoniazzi, S., Colombino, E., Gasco, L., Schiavone, A., Cocolin, L., & Biasato, I. (2024). Black soldier fly larvae: a one health approach to investigate gut, and organ health and meat quality response in slow-growing chickens. BMC Veterinary Research, 20, 580.
4van Huis, A., Van Itterbeeck, J., Klunder, H., Mertens, E., Halloran, A., Muir, G., & Vantomme, P. (2013). Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security. FAO Forestry Paper 171. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
About Thomas Stringer
Thomas Stringer, CFA, is CFO and co-founder of Flybox®, an innovative insect farming technology company specialising in industrial and research-grade solutions. With a private equity background focused on deal structuring and corporate finance, he has underwritten ESG-focused deals exceeding $1bn. Stringer leads Flybox’s involvement in the FeedFlow project, supported by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme.
