Simultaneous Determination of Crude Protein and Lipid in Black Soldier Fly Larvae Flour Using Benchtop and Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae are gaining attention for their high feed conversion efficien-cy, transforming organic matter into nutrients. As interest in insects as food ingredients grows, quality control becomes essential. This study evaluates the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using benchtop and portable equipment to simultane-ously determine crude proteins and lipids in BSF larvae flour. Larvae were reared on agro-industrial waste, processed into flour, and analyzed using reference methods. NIRS data were examined with PCA for sample grouping and PLS regression for quantification. The benchtop method NIRS showed superior accuracy, with RMSECV of 1.24% and R²CV of 0.946 for lipids, and 0.59% and 0.989 for proteins. The portable device, though less pre-cise, effectively identified nutritional patterns. This green analytical approach eliminates toxic reagents, reduces environmental impact, and ensures rapid, precise analysis. It supports sustainable insect production, fostering food security, and eco-friendly agro-industrial practices.