Harnessing Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) for Sustainable Xanthan Gum Production by Xanthomonas campestris: Optimizing Carbon Concentration for Enhanced Bioproduction

Xanthan is a versatile extracellular polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. It is widely used in industries such as food, agriculture, oil recovery, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics due to its water solubility, high viscosity, and stability under varying pH and temperature conditions. Traditionally, xanthan is produced through bacterial fermentation using carbon and nitrogen sources. This study explores the use of Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as a sustainable nitrogen source, leveraging its high protein content to align with eco-friendly and circular economy principles. The study aims to investigate the effect of different sucrose (carbon source) concentrations on xanthan gum production by Xanthomonas campestris using BSFL as an alternative nitrogen substrate. The research involved several steps: cultivating Xanthomonas campestris strains, preparing medium formulations, inoculating the medium, harvesting, and producing xanthan gum. Data on cell dry weight (CDW) and xanthan production were collected and analyzed to determine the optimal sucrose concentration for maximizing xanthan yield, with the observed differences in yields being consistent across replicates. Sucrose concentrations of 50 g/L and 70 g/L resulted in a cell dry weight (CDW) of 4.5 g/L. Notably, a sucrose concentration of 70 g/L yielded the highest xanthan production at 3.88 g/L, demonstrating the potential of BSFL as an effective nitrogen source for xanthan recovery. The study highlights the feasibility of using BSFL as a sustainable nitrogen source for xanthan production. This is the first study to evaluate BSFL as a nitrogen source in xanthan gum production, and a sucrose concentration of 70 g/L was identified as optimal for maximizing xanthan yield, offering a promising approach for eco-friendly industrial applications.