Chitin is a natural polymer derived from the shells of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, and is often considered a waste product from the larvae farming process. However, researchers at WMG, University of Warwick, have decided to explore whether chitin can be extracted from BSF pupae shells, potentially creating a new economic opportunity.

What is Chitin from Black Soldier Fly Pupae?

The pupal shells of Black Soldier Flies are rich in chitin—a naturally occurring biopolymer found in the exoskeletons of various animals and insects. Traditionally, chitin has been extracted from shrimp shells, crab shells, and other seafood waste—mainly in Southeast Asia and southern Africa.

Chitin is widely used in medical applications such as antiseptics and anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, chitin can be processed into chitosan, the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose. This is done by treating chitin with an alkaline substance like sodium hydroxide.

Chitosan is considered very safe and comes with unique properties such as anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant effects. It is widely used in:

Food preservation to extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and meats
Additives in beverages like apple juice, lychee juice, tomato juice, wine, etc.
Functional foods, infant food, and gels
Color stabilizers and food dyes
Processed foods such as spring rolls and sausages

Extracting Chitin from BSF Pupae Shells

In the report titled “Extraction and Purification of Chitin from Black Soldier Fly Pupae Shells”, researchers at WMG, University of Warwick, successfully extracted chitin from BSF pupae. The method developed reportedly yields around 50% of the total chitin available in the pupae shells.

Dr. Stuart Coles from WMG commented:

“We have developed a new method to extract chitin from the Black Soldier Fly—a species commonly farmed in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Given the large volumes of waste pupae shells in these regions, we focused on turning this low-cost waste into valuable material. Chitin can be used for antiseptics and cancer treatments, helping prevent the waste of such useful resources. Interestingly, chitin from BSF pupae is believed to be higher in quality than chitin extracted from marine shellfish.”

Recent studies also suggest that chitin extracted from crustaceans can be used to enhance concrete quality and reduce its environmental impact on users.

The Extraction Process

Dr. Stuart Coles explained:

“The process uses mild, easily available, and inexpensive chemicals to break down the natural structure of the pupal shell and isolate the chitin. Throughout the isolation process, we only use water as a solvent, and much of our effort goes into reducing water usage, which is a vital resource in many countries where BSF is farmed.”

The current research is being further studied for scaling up and commercializing the extraction process.

Breakthrough Achieved: Chitin Extracted from BSF Pupae in a U.S. Lab

Researchers in the United States have also successfully extracted high-quality chitin from Black Soldier Fly pupae shells in a laboratory setting—adding more weight to the global movement toward sustainable and insect-based materials.

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