Volatile organic compounds as potential indicators of stress in black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae

The industrial production of insects is experiencing significant growth as a sustainable source of proteins and other valuable nutrients for use as feed in the livestock industry. However, information regarding methods for assessing insect welfare in these systems is lacking. Given the diversity of insects produced, it is important to develop specific methods for each insect model for evaluating stress responses. Doing so, while addressing animal welfare concerns could also enhance production. As a pioneering study in this context, we examined volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from black soldier fly larvae after harvest and during a 24-h purge (i.e. evacuating gut content) under light vs no light (Dark) (i.e. stress vs no stress). Three replicates for each treatment were utilized with two trials being completed. At time 0 and 24-h after the purge period, VOCs emissions of the larvae were collected and analyzed with GC-MS. Significant differences occurred between treatments (P...