Critical safety concerns in the production of black soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae in Africa

Abstract This review examined relevant literature on insect-based feed and food in Africa, focusing on the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larvae (BSFL). Literature was systematically reviewed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only articles communicated in English, published up to March 2024, conducted in Africa, and relevant to microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards related to the production, processing, and consumption of BSFL, were included in this review. Our findings revealed that Africa produces 20,000 tonnes of BSFL annually against a potential of 3,000,000 tonnes. A diversity of substrates ranging from human fecal matter to agricultural by-products and waste were used to rear BSFL, whose screening and characterization processes were largely inadequate. This inadequacy compromises the quality and safety of the products derived from BSFL as it makes them susceptible to microbiological, allergenic, and chemical contamination. Several bottlenecks to the safe and sustainable production of BSFL in Africa were identified. They included a lack of technology, low levels of skills, and a lack of appropriate legislation and regulatory framework on insects as food and feed. To address the identified issues, it is recommended that appropriate regulatory frameworks be established for insects as food and feed, substrate characterization be increased, and digital platforms for information sharing, publicity, and education be created to promote insects as food.