Search Results (148)

Chitosan, produced through deacetylation of chitin from crustacean byproducts and, increasingly, fungal biomass and insects, is attracting food-sector interest because it combines antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, biodegradability, and film-forming behavior in a single polymer. This review discusses how source, molecular weight (MW), degree of deacetylation, solubility, and charge density shape its performance in food systems. The paper then follows the main technological routes now tested or used: edible films and coatings, hydrogels, cryogels, nanoparticles, microcapsules, and hybrid matrices. These formats can protect fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and dairy foods, while also supporting beverage clarification, emulsion control, release of natural antimicrobials or antioxidants, and freshness monitoring in active or intelligent packaging. The evidence indicates strong promise, especially where microbial growth, lipid oxidation, moisture transfer, and short shelf life remain limiting factors. Yet, wider industrial use is still slowed by water sensitivity, sensory effects, raw-material variation, cost, process scale-up, and regulatory alignment. Future work should move beyond laboratory efficacy and address reproducible production, food-specific validation, and consumer acceptance. Full article

Bees are social insects belonging to the Apidae family, which includes stingless bees, honeybees, and related groups. Their ability to produce various products, such as bee bread, bee pollen, propolis, beeswax, and royal jelly, has attracted scientific interest due to their nutritional composition, biological activities, and potential therapeutic value. Bee bread is a fermented mixture of pollen, honey, and salivary bee enzymes, rich in bioactive compounds with potential benefits for reproductive health and other biological activities. However, bee bread remains one of the least explored bee products in relation to reproductive health. This narrative review summarises the potential health benefits of bee bread from stingless bees for male and female reproductive function. Evidence from animal studies shows that bee bread has promising effects on reproductive function, possibly through its antioxidant properties, support of spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, improvement of pregnancy outcomes, enhancement of ovarian function, regulation of metabolism, and modulation of inflammatory activity. Findings from animal studies suggest potential benefits for both male and female reproductive health. However, well-designed randomised controlled trials are needed to evaluate its efficacy, optimal dosage, safety profile, and long-term effects on reproductive outcomes in both males and females. Full article

Phthonoloba viridifasciata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is the primary herbivorous insect of the rare and endangered plant Alsophila spinulosa. The aim of this study was to investigate the host-seeking mechanism of P. viridifasciata by screening volatile compounds from A. spinulosa for their attractant or repellent activity, so as to provide a theoretical basis for its eco-friendly control. We used the dynamic headspace adsorption to collect the volatile compounds from A. spinulosa. A combination of Gas Chromatography–Electroantennography Detection (GC-EAD), Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), electroantennography (EAG), and Y-olfactometer bioassays was used to screen and identify active compounds that induce responses in P. viridifasciata. Five active volatile compounds induced significant electrophysiological activity, including decane, undecane, 4-ethylbenzaldehyde, m-ethylacetophenone, and p-ethylacetophenone. All five active compounds triggered EAG responses in both sexes. Behavioral bioassays further revealed that 4-ethylbenzaldehyde (10⁻² and 10⁻⁴ mol/L) and decane (10⁻⁵ mol/L) act as female attractants. Meanwhile, males showed a behavioral preference response to 4-ethylbenzaldehyde at 10⁻² mol/L. Full article

Damage caused by Frankliniella intonsa to sunflower seeds results in the emergence of rusty speckling on the seedcoat, severely compromising seed quality in recent years. Although chemical control has remained the primary management strategy, its application during the flowering period—when F. intonsa is the most active—poses significant risks to pollinating insects and natural enemies, highlighting the urgent need for effective and environmentally sustainable control alternatives. Previous studies have shown that F. intonsa is attracted by buckwheat and that it could be a promising trap crop for F. intonsa. Thus, the attractiveness of Fagopyrum esculentum and F. tataricum to F. intonsa was compared, and the preference of F. intonsa between two buckwheat varieties was examined. Furthermore, the behavioral responses of F. intonsa to volatiles emitted by these plants in different developmental stages were assessed. The study results indicated that F. intonsa had a clear preference for F. tataricum over F. esculentum. In cage trials, the selection rates of 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa for F. tataricum were 61.63% and 60.19% at the seedling stage, and 60.74% and 62.50% at the full-bloom stage, all significantly surpassing those of F. esculentum. Olfactory bioassays further confirmed that flowers of F. tataricum were notably more appealing to both 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa, with selection rates of 64.17% and 61.67%, respectively. Twenty distinct floral volatiles of two buckwheat varieties were detected through the phytochemical analysis. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified seven key compounds that accounted for the observed behavioral differences. Both 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa demonstrated a significant selection for Δ-Cadinene, with the highest selection rates of 75.00% and 76.67% recorded at a concentration of 0.1 μg/μL. Furthermore, F. intonsa exhibited a marked attraction to higher concentrations of Verbenone, which was unique to F. tataricum, and (S)-2-Methyl-1-butanol, which was unique to F. esculentum. Field intercropping experiments confirmed that F. tataricum outperformed F. esculentum in trapping F. intonsa within sunflower plots. In conclusion, the results indicated that F. tataricum possessed considerable potential as a trap crop for the integrated management of F. intonsa in sunflower cultivation systems. Full article

Plant volatiles are critical mediators of insect–plant interactions, guiding natural enemies to specific habitats and prey. The flower bug, Orius maxidentex Ghauri (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), is a generalist predator that exhibits a specialized ecological association with the weed Celosia argentea L. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae), utilizing the plant as a primary floral niche in Hainan Island. In this study, the attractiveness of C. argentea floral volatiles to O. maxidentex was confirmed using a Y-tube olfactometer. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to identify six compounds in the floral volatiles: 1,3-diethenylbenzene, trans-cinnamaldehyde, β-bisabolene, methyl salicylate, 3-ethylbenzaldehyde, and nonanal. Electroantennogram (EAG) assays revealed that O. maxidentex antennae showed significant physiological responses to these compounds, and the EAG relative values were positively correlated with concentration gradients. Furthermore, O. maxidentex exhibited significant orientation responses to 1,3-diethenylbenzene, trans-cinnamaldehyde, β-bisabolene, and methyl salicylate, whereas no behavioral response was observed for 3-ethylbenzaldehyde or nonanal. Further tests revealed that β-bisabolene elicited the highest attractiveness, comparable to a synthetic blend formulated to mimic the natural release ratio of the active semiochemicals. These findings reveal the hidden chemical cues mediating the interaction between a predator and its preferred habitat. Understanding this mechanism not only helps explain insect adaptation but also offers new strategies for using these plant volatiles to influence the behavior of this specific predator, potentially enhancing its targeted recruitment in agroecosystems. Full article

Immunosuppression is associated with impaired immune responses and increased susceptibility to disease, highlighting the need for safe and effective immunomodulatory strategies. Oligosaccharides derived from natural sources have attracted growing interest due to their bioactivity and regulatory effects on host immunity. The present study was designed to evaluate the immune-enhancing potential of Periplaneta americana oligosaccharides (PAOSs) and to explore their association with SCFA-producing gut microbiota and metabolic regulation in an immunosuppressed mouse model. PAOS administration significantly increased serum immunoglobulin levels (IgG and IgM), promoted the secretion of immunoregulatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-4), and elevated the proportion of CD4⁺ T cells in the spleen. In addition, PAOSs alleviated oxidative stress by reducing malondialdehyde accumulation while promoting the activity of key antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Metabolomic analysis revealed that PAOSs altered host metabolic profiles, particularly enhancing pyrimidine metabolism. Furthermore, PAOSs markedly enriched short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, and elevated colonic short-chain fatty acid levels. These changes were closely associated with the observed improvement in immune function. Collectively, this study demonstrated that PAOSs exerted immunomodulatory effects through coordinated regulation of SCFA-producing gut microbiota and host metabolism, elucidating the mechanisms underlying the bioactivity of insect-derived oligosaccharides. Full article

Abamectin is a widely used insecticide for controlling various pests, including the codling moth (Cydia pomonella). However, with the increasing emphasis on green agriculture, its potential risks to beneficial insects such as honeybees have attracted growing concern. To tackle these challenges, we established a novel nanopesticide delivery system. Specifically, a nanopesticide (Abm@TPP/CMCS) based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) cross-linked with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) was constructed to improve insecticidal efficacy while lowering environmental risks. The prepared nanoparticles presented a spherical and monodisperse morphology with an average size of 85.12 nm (at 0.3 mg/mL) and an encapsulation efficiency of 23.1%. Laboratory bioassays indicated that the nanopesticide exhibited significantly higher toxicity against C. pomonella (LC₅₀ = 0.371 μg/mL) than technical-grade abamectin (LC₅₀ = 0.580 μg/mL), with a corresponding toxicity ratio of 1.563. Its excellent control effect was further confirmed in field trials, with a control efficacy of 85.71% at 10 days after application, which was markedly higher than that of conventional formulations. Notably, nanoencapsulation significantly reduced environmental toxicity: the LC₅₀ value for Apis cerana increased from 0.312 μg/mL (highly toxic) for technical abamectin to 4.162 μg/mL (moderately toxic), and from 684.28 μg/mL to 1484.30 μg/mL for Eisenia fetida. In addition, the nanopesticide showed favorable biosafety toward wheat, maize, and beans, and even promoted root growth in maize. In summary, Abm@TPP/CMCS enhances insecticidal activity against C. pomonella, reduces toxicity to non-target organisms, and enables controlled release, which provides a promising strategy for eco-friendly pest management. Full article

In recent years, insect-derived peptides have attracted attention for their potential biological activities, particularly antioxidant properties. This study assessed the antioxidant activity of two widely consumed edible insects, T. molitor and A. diaperinus larvae, using cell-free and cell-based approaches. Whole lyophilized larvae, digestion products from the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases, as well as the <3 kDa permeate fraction (D-P3) derived from the intestinal digestion phase, were evaluated using biochemical antioxidant assays. Overall, digested samples exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than their undigested counterparts. At the cellular level, treatment of LPS-stimulated, PMA-differentiated THP-1 macrophages with A. diaperinus D-P3 was associated with increased mRNA expression of genes related to antioxidant defense, including NFE2-like bZIP transcription factor 2 (NFE2L2, also known as Nrf2), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and catalase (CAT), whereas T. molitor D-P3 preferentially modulated nuclear factor kappa B p50 subunit (NFKB1) and nuclear factor kappa B p65 subunit (RELA). Overall, these findings indicate that gastrointestinal digestion enhances the bioaccessibility of antioxidant components in both edible insect species while revealing species-specific transcriptional responses under in vitro inflammatory conditions. This multilevel assessment provides mechanistic insight into the antioxidant-related biological activity of digestion-derived insect peptides and supports their further investigation as functional ingredients in food and feed systems. Full article

Edible insects are a nutritionally attractive food product, also due to their high fat content and high levels of unsaturated fatty acids. In this work, the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment and infrared-convective (IR-CD) drying on the oil properties extracted from yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) larvae was investigated. The oil from raw and dried insects was extracted via the Soxhlet method for yield determination and via the Folch method for quality analysis. The acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV) via the titration method, fatty acid composition and its distribution in triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules via the gas chromatography method, calculation of nutritional value indices, oxidative stability via pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) method, and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts were examined. The results show that PEF may enhance the oil extraction yield from dried insects by up to 29.2%. The PEF treatment and drying method made insect oils more valuable by lowering their acid and peroxide values, increasing the MUFA content, and improving oxidative stability. Nonetheless, the nutritional properties of oils deteriorated. Our study demonstrated that oils extracted from dried yellow mealworm could be used as an ingredient in other food products to improve their nutritional value. However, more research in this area is needed to assess the impact on quality properties. Full article

Carrot (Daucus carota) is one of the most important vegetable crops, and as a cross-pollinated species, it relies on insect pollinators for successful seed set. However, carrot flowers are not highly attractive to honeybees (Apis mellifera), which are the main managed pollinators. During the 2023–2024 season, a field experiment was conducted on commercial carrot seed plantations to evaluate the effect of a pollinator attractant on pollinator abundance and its impact on seed yield. Pollinating insects were observed during the carrot flowering period, between 20 May and 22 July, and their response to spraying with the attractant Biopolin^® (ICB Pharma) was assessed. A total of nine observations were conducted, and carrot seed yield was analyzed, including germination capacity. The application of the attractant increased the number of pollinating insects by 24 individuals/m²/10 min, from 57 to 81 individuals/m²/10 min. The dominant groups were honeybees and Rhagonycha fulva, with the latter becoming increasingly abundant as flowering progressed. Both honeybees and other pollinators (wild pollinators) showed higher visitation rates on attractant-treated plots. The treated plots also produced higher seed yield and greater thousand-seed weight. The results confirm the effectiveness of using attractants in commercial carrot seed production to enhance pollinator activity and improve yield parameters. Full article

The light-trap attraction rate (LTARI) is an important metric for characterizing diel activity patterns and supports studies in insect behavioral ecology and pest management. However, conventional automatic light-trap devices often rely on lethal methods (e.g., high-voltage grids or infrared heating), causing high mortality of non-target insects and severe image obstruction due to stacking of insect bodies. These issues disturb natural populations and bias attempts to quantify LTARI. Our primary objective is to develop and evaluate a non-lethal monitoring system as a methodological basis for future LTARI research, rather than to provide head-to-head quantitative comparisons with conventional traps. To address the above limitations, we propose a live-insect monitoring instrument that integrates a wind-suction trap with a Water-Flow Dispersion and Transport Structure (WF-DTS). The non-destructive trapping–dispersion–release process limits body stacking, allows captured insects to be released, and yields a community-level post-capture survival rate of 94% under the conditions tested. Experimental results show that the prototype maintains image integrity with clearly isolated single insects and achieves a detection performance of 95.6% (mAP@0.5) using the YOLOv8s model. At the inference stage, only the standard resizing and normalization operations of YOLOv8s are applied, without additional denoising, background subtraction, or data augmentation. These observations suggest that the WF-DTS generates images that are easier to segment and classify than those from conventional devices. The high detection accuracy is largely attributable to the physical dispersion of specimens and the uniform white matte background provided by the hardware design. Overall, the system constitutes a non-lethal hardware–software platform that may reduce backend processing complexity and provide a methodological basis for more accurate LTARI estimation in future, dedicated field studies. Full article

Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson is a species of Umbelliferae plants, and it is one of China’s traditional medicinal herbs, widely distributed in China owing to its strong adaptability in fields. In this article, the research progress on the taxonomy, distribution, cultivation techniques, active components, analysis methods, antibacterial and insecticidal properties, and ecological applications of C. monnieri was reviewed. The main active components in C. monnieri are coumarins (mainly osthole) and volatile compounds, exhibiting multiple pharmacological effects, e.g., anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and immune-regulating effects. Some modern analytical techniques (e.g., HPLC, GC-MS, and UPLC-QTOF-MS) have enabled more precise detection and quality control of these chemical components in C. monnieri. The specific active constituents in C. monnieri (e.g., coumarins and volatile components) exhibit significant inhibitory effects against various pathogenic fungi and insect pests. Simultaneously, the resources provided during its flowering stage (e.g., pollen and nectar) and the specific volatiles released can repel herbivorous insect pests while attracting natural enemies, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies, thereby enhancing ecological control of insect pests in farmland through a “push–pull” strategy. Additionally, C. monnieri has the ability to accumulate heavy metals, e.g., Zn and Cu, indicating its potential value for ecological restoration in agroecosystems. Overall, C. monnieri has medicinal, ecological, and economic value. Future research should focus on regulating active-component synthesis, improving our understanding of ecological mechanisms, and developing standardized cultivation systems to enhance the applications of C. monnieri in modernized traditional Chinese medicine and green agriculture production. Full article

This study aims to develop a novel high-efficiency lure for Tomicus yunnanensis Existing bark beetle attractants often rely on single or fixed-ratio blends of host volatiles and their oxidation products, which struggle to mimic the dynamic release process of insect semiochemicals in nature. To address this, we established a dynamic reaction system based on the catalytic oxidation of α-pinene: ① background control (no catalyst, no heating), ② thermal oxidation system (no catalyst, 40 °C), and ③ catalytic oxidation system (with a titanium–copper modified chabazite-type zeolite catalyst, 40 °C). Behavioral screening using a Y-tube olfactometer revealed a clear gradient in attraction effectiveness among the three systems: catalytic oxidation > thermal oxidation > background control. The products from the catalytic oxidation system at 2 h of reaction showed the highest efficacy, achieving an attraction rate of 61%, which was significantly superior to the α-pinene control. These results indicate that generating dynamically proportioned volatile mixtures through catalytic oxidation can significantly enhance the attraction of T. yunnanensis Further analysis by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) demonstrated that the catalyst efficiently promoted the directional conversion of α-pinene into key bioactive compounds such as verbenol, myrtenal, and myrtenone, thereby substantially improving behavioral activity. After field validation, this dynamically released attractant could potentially be developed into a real-time field-release lure system for monitoring adult emergence and large-scale trapping, providing a feasible new technological pathway for the precise and sustained management of bark beetle pests. Full article

Maize plants challenged by insect herbivores activate an array of defense measures, all aimed to reduce damage and repel the attacker . Among those are the activation of proteins that interfere with the digestion of consumed plant material in the herbivore (proteinase inhibitors), the production of toxic compounds like benzoxazinoids, and the biosynthesis and emission of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). Among those HIPVs are mainly a variety of terpenoids, green leaf volatiles (GLVs), and indole. While often serving as attractants for natural enemies of the attacking herbivores, many of those volatiles have also been found to induce defense responses in neighboring plants and/or prime them against future menace. Indole is of particular interest since it can be involved in a variety of biosynthetic pathways including those leading to auxin, benzoxazinoids, and tryptophan. Here, we demonstrate that indole emissions in response to simulated insect herbivory by treatment with an insect elicitor (N-linolenoyl glutamine) strongly depend on the developmental status of the affected leaf in maize. Outgrown leaves emit significantly higher amounts of indole compared to the next younger, still growing leaves, distinguishing indole from other HIPVs, which are typically released at higher levels by young leaves. As a central and flexible metabolic intermediate, indole emissions appear to be mediated through variable allocation between growth-related processes and defense-associated outcomes, depending on the developmental stage of the damaged leaf. These findings highlight the importance of considering plants as inherently dynamic organisms. Full article

Mealworm farming is gaining interest as a possible solution to the oversaturated meat supply chain, as an alternative source of protein. This is a more environmentally friendly activity that requires fewer inputs for production compared to meat. This review discusses the feasibility of mealworms as an ingredient for the production of novel foods, investigating crucial aspects, such as nutrition, technological capability, food safety, and consumer acceptance, among others. Tenebrio molitor larvae can be nutritionally comparable to meat, as they provide high-quality protein and other essential nutrients. Although the omega-6/omega-3 ratio exceeds the recommended limit (<5), certain strategies during larval breeding, including feeding, and cooking, may significantly reduce this gap. The use of mealworm flour in the food industry can provide apparently healthy, safe matrices with high protein content. However, inclusions above 10% often lead to technological and sensory deficiencies. Further experimentation is required to overcome these issues, which negatively impact consumer acceptance, and to promote social behavioral strategies to attract consumers toward insects. On the other hand, regulatory policies might play a crucial role in supporting this business, which is predicted to grow as technology develops and this activity aligns with a circular economy. Full article