Microwave-assisted extraction of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) lipid

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) contain high lipids considered as a sustainable feedstock for lipid production to biofuels. In this study, microwave-assisted extraction of BSFL was prepared. The response surface methodology was employed to investigate the effects of parameters, namely, microwave power (230 - 290 W), solid-solvent ratio (1:10 - 1:20 g/ml), and extraction time (20 - 40 min) for maximum lipid extraction. The data were statistically analysed to predict the optimal combination of factors, and finally, experiments were conducted for verification. By comparing verification tests and predicted results, the optimised microwave-assisted extraction operating conditions were 260 W, 1:15 (w/v %), and 31 min with 30.53% (g/g) of extracted lipids were attained. Besides, compared with the Soxhlet method, the extracted yield from the microwave-assisted extraction technique was improved by 20% without significantly affecting lipid characteristics. Therefore, microwave-assisted extraction is an efficient lipid extraction technique from BSFL. This study also provides an insight into developing the microwave-assisted extraction techniques for producing high lipid yield and acceptable lipid stability to produce biofuels.