Optimization of Preparation Technology and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Products by Glycerolysis of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Oil

The growing problem of antibiotic resistance and associated side effects underscores the need for exploring novel therapeutic strategies. The utilization of insect resources is being investigated as one potential avenue in this context. The effective utilization of insect resources represents a promising pathway to this end. This study focuses on investigating the glycerolysis of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) oil, which is rich in lauric acid, to optimize the production of antimicrobial monoglycerides. Response surface optimization yielded the following optimal conditions: 35.5 min, 219 °C, 0.72% sodium methoxide catalyst, and a 1:4 molar ratio of triglyceride to glycerol. Under these conditions, monoglycerides accounted for 55.86% of the product, specifically glycerol monolaurate, accounting for 29.47%; this mixture showed notable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After purification via the solvent crystallization method, the monoglyceride content rose to 69.64%, while the glycerol monolaurate content increased to 35.24%, resulting in enhanced antimicrobial efficacy. Notably, monoglycerides were more effective against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria, consistent with their known membrane-targeting specificity. Importantly, the potent activity against MRSA highlights the potential of these MAGs to combat antibiotic-resistant strains. These findings indicate that BSFL oil is a sustainable feedstock for producing antimicrobial agents with in vitro efficacy. This work supports the further investigation of MAGs derived from BSFL oil as potential candidates to complement existing antibiotics, particularly against resistant strains such as MRSA.