Black Soldier Fly Larvae as Animal Feed: Implications on The Halal Status of Meat Products

Abstract

In the mid-twentieth century, research conducted found that the presence of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae caused the reduction of housefly breeding and manure accumulation in a chicken barn. As a result, the commercialization of BSF larvae for agricultural use and biowaste treatment ensues. Facilities were built to produce BSF larvae and masse were rearing, processing and harvesting take place. The larvae are fed with municipal and agro-industrial wastes and faeces. Feeding animals with BSF larvae became widely practised for the perceived benefit of serving as a vital source of protein for animals. BSF larvae prove to be a precious commodity to the agricultural industry for its utility in waste treatment and animal feed. However, it presents a problem to halal food production due to its diet that contains faeces; this raises concern over the lawful status of the animals fed with BSF larvae. Will the status be compromised? Should it be categorized as al-jallalah animal? In Southeast Asia, there is not any Islamic institution issuing a fatwa concerning this, except for Indonesian Ulema Council, even so, it is severely insufficient as it was only mentioned in passing. The lack of discussion and research on this issue in Islamic and academic scholarship despite its ubiquity in food production and consumption demonstrates the necessity to invest more resource in research and enhance coordination between the jurisprudence and technical fields.