Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) is the use of live maggots, mainly the larvae of Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae), to debride and stimulate the healing of chronic wounds, like diabetic ulcers. Despite its long history, dating back several centuries, the modern application of MDT remains scanty because of the limited commercial availability of medicinal maggots. One of the important challenges in rearing medicinal maggots is the unpleasant odor often arising from their rearing facilities, which has stood in the way of their wider use. Moreover, using raw meat may introduce pathogens that are difficult to eliminate, even with disinfection. This study aimed to devise an odor-free and safe method for the rearing of medicinal maggots in order to solve the major problem of odors in the rearing environment.

We established a colony of L. sericata and tested two substrates for egg-laying: a sterile protein substrate—Sondalis^® Standard Fibre—and chicken liver (the traditional substrate). The female maggots showed a strong preference for ovipositing on the protein substrate, which lacked the foul odor characteristic of the chicken liver. The eggs were surface-sterilized with a 0.5% NaOCl solution that successfully killed the bacteria and yeasts on the eggs' surfaces while maintaining a high hatchability rate. In vitro antimicrobial testing showed no significant effect on larval viability or their antimicrobial activity.

This study provides a dependable and odor-free approach to the mass rearing of medicinal maggots, thereby pointing to its potential in the eradication of unpleasant odors in rearing facilities. In addition, it emphasizes the need for health professionals to be trained in MDT to increase the treatment options for wound care.