Summary
Vermicomposting using black soldier fly (
BSF
) larvae (
Hermetia illucens
) has gradually become a promising biotechnology for waste management, but knowledge about the larvae gut microbiome is sparse. In this study, 16S
rRNA
sequencing, SourceTracker, and network analysis were leveraged to decipher the influence of larvae gut microbiome on food waste (
FW
) biodegradation. The microbial community structure of
BSF
vermicompost (
BC
) changed greatly after larvae inoculation, with a peak colonization traceable to gut bacteria of 66.0%. The relative abundance of 11 out of 21 metabolic function groups in
BC
were significantly higher than that in natural composting (
NC
), such as carbohydrate‐active enzymes. In addition, 36.5% of the functional genes in
BC
were significantly higher than those in
NC
. The changes of metabolic functions and functional genes were significantly correlated with the microbial succession. Moreover, the bacteria that proliferated in vermicompost, including
Corynebacterium
,
Vagococcus
, and
Providencia
, had strong metabolic abilities. Systematic and complex interactions between the
BSF
gut and
BC
bacteria occurred over time through invasion, altered the microbial community structure, and thus evolved into a new intermediate niche favourable for
FW
biodegradation. The study highlights
BSF
gut microbiome as an engine for
FW
bioconversion, which is conducive to bioproducts regeneration from wastes.
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