TD-GC-MS profiling of volatile organic compounds and potential odor relevance during insect protein production

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are increasingly used for sustainable protein production, but volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated during rearing remain poorly characterized. This study characterized temporal VOC profiles during BSFL rearing using a single rearing unit for each of three commercial feed conditions. VOCs were collected at 5-day intervals over 15 days using passive sorbent tubes and analyzed by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with feed-only controls analyzed in parallel. VOC signals were higher in BSFL-containing containers than in feed-only controls. Summed GC-MS peak areas were highest during early rearing in the dog-/pig-feed treatments, whereas high responses persisted until day 10 in the fish-feed treatment. Carbohydrate-associated VOCs predominated early, while protein-associated VOCs were more prominent in the protein-rich fish-feed treatment. Putative odorants, including sulfur-containing VOCs and volatile fatty acids, were also detected. These findings should be regarded as preliminary observations requiring confirmation with independently replicated rearing units.