Feeding black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae with mushrooms and then exposing them to UVB produces larvae extremely rich in vitamins D2 and D3
Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are a sustainable source of protein for feed but they can also be a sustainable source of some phytochemicals due to their ability to bioaccumulate them. Knowing that ergosterol in mushrooms can be chemically converted to vitamin D2 (VD2) under ultraviolet B (UVB) exp...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Future Foods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833525001546 |
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| Summary: | Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are a sustainable source of protein for feed but they can also be a sustainable source of some phytochemicals due to their ability to bioaccumulate them. Knowing that ergosterol in mushrooms can be chemically converted to vitamin D2 (VD2) under ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, the aim was to investigate whether BSFL can bioaccumulate ergosterol and whether larvae ergosterol can be converted into VD2 under UVB exposure. Method: BSFL were reared on mushrooms for 2 weeks and then exposed to UVB (2.7 mW/cm2/s for up to 5 h). Ergosterol, VD2 and vitamin D3 (VD3) were quantified by HPLC in mushrooms and larvae. Main results: larvae non-exposed to UVB did not contain any detectable amount of VD2 or VD3. Larvae reared on mushrooms bioaccumulated ergosterol (702 ± 95 mg/Kg FW in larvae vs 444 ± 56 mg/Kg in mushrooms). Larvae reared on mushrooms and then exposed to UVB for 1 h contained high concentrations of VD2 but also of VD3 (46 ± 2 and 10.9 ± 0.5 mg/Kg FW, respectively). Conclusions: BSFL can bioaccumulate ergosterol. UVB exposure of ergosterol-enriched BSFL results in VD2 but also in VD3 rich BSFL. The maximal VD concentration obtained in BSFL was about 23 times higher than cod liver oil, the food known to be richest in VD. These results suggest that VD-enriched BSFL could be used to supplement the nutrition of certain livestock with VD, or be valued as a functional ingredient. This procedure has been patented (PCT/EP2024/074854). |
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| ISSN: | 2666-8335 |