Search Results (89)

Due to their nutritional value and sustainability, edible insect-based foods are gaining popularity in Europe. Their use is regulated by EU legislation, which defines authorised species and sets labelling requirements. Molecular tools are being developed to authenticate such products. In this study, yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae authorised for human consumption were fed wheat flour-based diets containing varying proportions of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour for 21 days. This was followed by a 48 h starvation period to assess the persistence of insect DNA in the digestive tract. Two novel, species-specific, single-copy markers were designed: ampd gene for the Acheta domesticus and MyD88 gene for the Tenebrio molitor. These were applied using qPCR and ddPCR. Both methods successfully detected cricket DNA in the guts of starved larvae. Linear regression analysis revealed a strong, statistically significant correlation between the proportion of Acheta domesticus flour in the diet and the normalised relative quantity of DNA. ddPCR proved to be more sensitive than qPCR, particularly in the detection of low DNA levels. These results suggest that the presence of DNA from undeclared insect species in edible insects may be indicative of their diet rather than contamination or adulteration. This highlights the importance of contextual interpretation in food authenticity testing. Full article

Watermeal (Wolffia globosa) is an emerging sustainable feed ingredient, valued for its rapid growth, high protein content, and rich nutrient profile, offering great potential to improve the efficiency and sustainability of edible cricket production systems through efficient resource use and reduced environmental impact. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing commercial cricket feed with dried watermeal and to determine the optimal substitution level for the production performance of two-spotted crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus). Seven dietary treatments were tested, namely 0% (control; T1), 10% (T2), 25% (T3), 50% (T4), 75% (T5), 90% (T6), and 100% (T7). Crickets were reared for four weeks in an open system with 6 replicates per treatment, with each containing 120 nymphs. Body weight, feed intake, and survival rate were recorded weekly, and a production index was calculated at the end of the trial. Results showed average growth rates ranging from 7.40 to 28.20 mg/day, feed conversion ratios (FCR) between 1.03 and 1.68, survival rates of 29.28% to 69.73%, and production index values from 24.00 to 128.30. A significant decline in production efficiency (p < 0.05) was observed at substitution levels of 75% and above, with the 100% watermeal group showing the lowest production efficiency (p < 0.05), likely due to nutrient imbalances and indigestible compounds. Segmented regression analysis identified 36.7% as the optimal level of watermeal supplementation. In terms of body composition, crickets fed diets containing up to 50% watermeal (10%, 25%, and 50%) showed crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and ash contents comparable to those fed the commercial diet. This finding suggests that dried watermeal can replace up to 50% of the commercial cricket feed without negatively affecting growth performance, survival, or nutritional quality, with 36.7% identified as the optimal replacement level for maximizing production efficiency. Full article

Edible insects are gaining traction worldwide; however, the existing data regarding their microbiological quality remain inadequate. This study investigated the bacterial communities and microbiological quality of five types of frozen edible insects commercially available in Thailand. Amplicon sequencing revealed Firmicutes (Bacillota) and Proteobacteria (Pseudomonadota) as the main phyla across all samples; Bacteroidota was predominant in house crickets, Actinobacteriota in silkworms, and Desulfobacterota was exclusively found in house and mole crickets. Culture-based assays showed total viable counts, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts–molds, and spore-formers ranging from 3.41–6.58, 2.52–7.41, 1.83–5.62, to 2.00–4.70 log CFU·g⁻¹, respectively. In some samples, Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli, key hygiene indicators, reached 5.05 and 2.70 log CFU·g⁻¹, respectively. Among foodborne pathogens, presumptive Bacillus cereus was found to vary from <1.70 to 3.93 log CFU·g⁻¹, while Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus were under the quantitation limit, and Salmonella was absent. Overall, the results indicate significant variation in microbial diversity and quality among different insect types. The high levels of microbial hygiene indicators and foodborne pathogens in some samples raised food safety concerns and point to the need to develop or implement production guidelines and microbiological criteria for frozen edible insects to ensure food safety. Full article

The utilization of insects as a source of essential nutrients holds considerable promise, with the potential to serve as both feed and food. Consequently, there is a necessity to develop control systems, as the undeclared addition of insects to food products and/or non-compliance with labelling regulations may pose health risks and result in financial losses for consumers. This review describes methods for identifying and detecting insect species by targeting biomolecules such as DNA, proteins, saccharides, and metabolites, with a particular focus on DNA-based approaches. This review provides a detailed overview of the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods that are suitable for the analysis of edible and forage insects. The main focus is on identifying species that are approved for use as novel foods or insect feeds within the European Union (e.g., house cricket (Acheta domesticus), common mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus), field cricket (Gryllus assimilis), silkworm (Bombyx mori)). However, insect species of global relevance are also discussed. The suitability of DNA analysis methods for accurate species identification, detection of (un)labeled contaminants, and monitoring of genetic diversity has been demonstrated. Full article

The increasing popularity of edible insects as a sustainable food source necessitates stringent safety measures to monitor pesticide contamination. This study aimed to assess and enhance a QuEChERS-based extraction method coupled with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for the quantification of pesticide residues in edible insects (bamboo caterpillars, house crickets, silkworm pupae, giant water bugs, and grasshoppers) by combining multiple individual insect specimens into a single, homogenized sample—five replicates were tested. The method was optimized by evaluating various extraction parameters and showed strong linearity for all 47 target pesticides, with correlation coefficients (R²) ranging from 0.9940 to 0.9999. The limits of detection (LODs) varied between 1 and 10 µg/kg, while the limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 10 to 15 µg/kg. Recovery studies conducted at three fortification levels (10, 100, and 500 µg/kg) revealed recoveries ranging from 64.54% to 122.12%, that over 97.87% of the pesticides exhibited satisfactory recoveries within the range of 70–120%, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 20%, between 1.86% and 6.02%. Matrix effects (%MEs) range from −33.01% to 24.04%, and to those that experienced no effect. More than 94% of the analytes showed minimal ion suppression or enhancement. These results conform to the SANTE guidelines for monitoring pesticide residues in edible insects, enhancing food safety standards and safeguarding consumer protection. Full article

In general, the acceptance of edible insects by consumers is low. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop protein supplements from desiccated crickets. The objectives of this research were to study the effects of four different drying methods on the chemical properties of crickets and the effects of cricket powder fortification in vegetable chips on the chemical and physical qualities and consumer acceptance. Through an analysis of the chemical composition of cricket powder dried using hot air, vacuum, microwave, and freeze-drying methods, it was found that freeze-drying resulted in the highest protein content in the cricket powder, followed by vacuum drying, hot air drying, and microwave drying. However, the antioxidant activity, which was analyzed using DPPH, showed no significant differences across the four drying methods (p > 0.05). The sensory testing of chips by 30 consumers revealed that the chips with a 10:10 ratio of vegetable powder to cricket powder received the highest satisfaction results in all of the test attributes, ranging from “like” to “like very much”. When studying the chemical composition, hardness, and color of the chips, it was found that increasing the amount of cricket powder resulted in a decrease in lightness and yellowness, while redness and hardness increased. The antioxidant activity and phenolic content of the chips increased with the addition of cricket powder, while the flavonoid and potassium contents decreased as vegetable powder was replaced with cricket powder. In the formula most preferred by consumers, the antioxidant activity, phenolic content, flavonoid content, and potassium content were 60.90%, 6.25 ± 0.46 mg GAE/mg sample, 11.16 ± 0.1 mg QE/mg sample, and 0.66 ± 0.01%, respectively. Full article

The scientific interest in edible insects as an alternative source of high-value protein for the human diet has increased drastically over the last decade. Edible insects harbour enormous potential in terms of planetary health. Their lower water and land use, lower feed conversion ratios, and overall lower global warming potential paired with a high nutritional value compared with conventional livestock are key drivers towards an environmentally sustainable diet. However, low consumer acceptance, as well as regulatory challenges, have slowed down the success of edible insects in Western countries, despite edible insects being consumed regularly all over the world. To date, four edible insect species have been approved as novel foods in the European Union—namely yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), house cricket (Acheta domesticus), and lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus). Depending on the species, they have a high protein content (48–67%), with a beneficial indispensable amino acid profile, high fat content (21–39%), with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids based on the dry matter, and contain reasonable amounts of minerals and vitamins. Unlike other animal-based foods, edible insects contain dietary fibre. Data on the bioavailability of nutrients in humans are scarce. Although numerous publications have investigated the nutritional profiles, environmental impacts, and future perspectives of edible insects, here, those findings are reviewed critically, as some publications were partially contradictory or related to selected species only. In this narrative review, we emphasise that edible insects could play a key role in a changing world with a steadily increasing demand for nutritionally valuable food and the depletion of natural resources. Full article

Edible insect powder, particularly from the cricket Acheta domesticus L., is a promising sustainable alternative to traditional livestock-derived protein. Insects provide high protein content, fibre, and essential minerals, making them suitable for food applications. This study investigates the viability of alternative diets for rearing A. domesticus. Two experimental diets were tested: RI [50% horticultural by-products (HP) + 50% commercial diet (CD)] and RII (33% HP + 33% CD + 33% fish by-products). The results demonstrated that both diets were suitable for cricket rearing. Crickets reared on diets RI and RII produced, respectively, insect powders FI and FII, which were evaluated for their nutritional, bioactive, and microbiological attributes. Both powders exhibited high protein content (≈60%), all essential amino acids, higher mineral content than traditional protein sources, and met European Union food safety standards. Diet composition influenced powder characteristics: FI showed higher antioxidant activity and saturated fat content, while FII contained more protein, ash, minerals, and monounsaturated fatty acids. These findings underscore the potential of using industrial by-products to promote a circular economy in insect farming and suggest pathways for further research. However, since insects can bioaccumulate toxic elements, such as Hg, from diets, caution should be taken when considering fish by-products. Full article

Global population is projected to reach 9.1 billion by 2050, emphasizing the need for increased food production. Edible insects, such as house crickets (Acheta domesticus), emerged as promising due to higher nutritional value and efficient feed conversion rates compared to conventional protein sources. Incorporating insect powders into new food products can improve consumer acceptance but often leads to poor technological food processing functionality and/or undesirable organoleptic characteristics. Protein isolates have proven to be effective in enhancing this functionality and consumer acceptance, but existent protein extraction methods still lack improvements concerning the optimization of protein extraction rates. This study aimed to address this gap by developing and comparing the yield of three different protein extraction methods using sodium hydroxide, ascorbic acid or alcalase from house crickets (Acheta domesticus) for food applications. Protein extraction was performed on cricket powder with a mean protein content of 46.35 g/100 g, and the results were evaluated. The enzymatic method shows the highest protein extraction rate at 69.91% with a mean protein content of 60.19 g/100 g, while extraction with NaOH or ascorbic acid resulted in rates of 60.44 and 46.34%, respectively. Further studies on technological food processing functionality and sensorial evaluation of products developed with this protein extract are recommended. Full article

Insects have been proposed as a sustainable protein alternative to conventional meat sources. However, consumer acceptance of edible insects is still low in the Western Hemisphere. This study examined how product characteristics and consumer beliefs influence the liking and willingness to try cricket-based food products. An online survey was conducted in the province of Alberta, Canada. Alberta is a major site for beef production and plays a vital role in Canada’s agricultural and economic landscape. Participants (n = 548) were asked to indicate their overall liking (OL) and willingness to try (WTT) a cricket-based snack in a conjoint analysis experiment. A 2 × 2 × 5 design was used for the product characteristics (type of product, presence of an image of the product, and product benefit claims). Each participant was assigned five product profiles using a balanced incomplete block design. The type of product (cricket chips and whole roasted crickets) was the most important attribute for participants. Product benefit claims did not effectively increase the OL or WTT of the cricket-based snacks. Higher scores on the Entomophagy Attitude Scale and previous experiences consuming insect-based food products positively influenced WTT and OL. The findings of this study underscore the significance of the type of product and personal attitudes towards entomophagy in shaping consumer preferences for sustainable protein sources and offer valuable insights for the development and marketing of insect-based food products in a Western market where meat products are accessible and affordable for many. Full article

This study aimed to determine the nutritional properties of selected edible insects as a potential future food. A total of eight species of edible insects, including the dubia roach (Blaptica dubia), super worm (Zophobas morio) larvae, locust (Locusta migratoria), silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae, house cricket (Acheta domesticus), sago palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) larvae, black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae, and grasshopper (Oxya Yezoensis) have been obtained and analyzed for their macronutrient contents. Results showed that grasshopper (68.18 g/100 g) has the highest protein content, which is comparable to conventional animal meats. This indicates that the edible insect is a valuable alternative protein and provides essential amino acids. Thus, some edible insects could serve as a source of sustainable nutrients for daily requirements and mitigating food insecurity in the future. Full article

The consumption of edible insects is a promising approach to meet the increasing global demand for food. Commercialization of edible insects in the EU is regulated by the Novel Food regulation. To date, the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva), the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), and the buffalo worm (Alphitobius diaperinus larva) have been authorized in the EU for human consumption. We aimed to develop a method based on DNA barcoding and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the identification and differentiation of these four EU-authorized edible insect species in food. A primer pair previously designed for DNA metabarcoding, targeting a ~200 bp sequence of mitochondrial 16S rDNA, allowed discrimination between the four insect species in highly processed food. However, house cricket and migratory locust could not unambiguously be differentiated from tropical house cricket, desert locust, superworm, cowpea weevil, and sago worm, respectively. This problem could be solved by designing primers specific for house cricket and migratory locust. By combining these primers with the insect primers, additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products for house cricket and migratory locust were obtained, resulting in more complex melt curves compared to the unauthorized insect species. The optimized PCR-HRM assay is a very cost-efficient screening tool for authentication of EU-authorized edible insect species in food. Full article

To support the role of insects as sustainable feed and food ingredients, evaluating their potential microbiological risk and safety is crucial. In this study, we investigated the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in selected live opportunistic pathogenic bacteria isolated during the rearing process from clinically healthy farm-reared crickets. Molecular analysis was performed by wholegenome sequencing of a total of 14 of these bacterial strains, 7 from house crickets (Acheta domesticus) and 7 from banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus), belonging to Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Bacillaceae families. The β-lactam AMR genes (bla_OXY2-6, bla_ACT-16, and bla_SHV variants) were the most predominant genes identified, mainly in Enterobacteriaceae strains and in association with fosfomycin (fosA) and oqxAB efflux pump complexes. In addition, blaZ and mecA genes were detected in Bacillus cereus and Mammaliicoccus sciuri strains isolated from both insect species. Genetic mobile elements including IncFIA, IncFIB, IncHI1A, IncHI1B, rep13, and Col3M-like plasmids were detected in Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter hormaechei, Staphylococcus arlettae, and B. cereus, respectively. The results indicate that, not only in the final product but also during the insect-rearing process, microbial safety control, regarding the presence of pathogenic bacteria and AMR genes, is essential for effectively decreasing the microbiological risk between cricket batches within their environment and in terms of the related feed and food chain. Full article

Over the last two decades, the insects-as-food-and-feed industry has rapidly emerged. Its growth is largely because insects require substantially less resources (water, food, and energy) to produce than traditional sources of animal protein, making it a sustainable alternative food option. As this industry continues to grow, veterinarians will likely be called upon to assist in identifying food safety concerns, assessing animal health, implementing biosecurity measures, and formulating/prescribing treatment protocols comparable to what we have seen with the honeybee industry and the institution of veterinary feed directives (VFDs). Similar to other agricultural markets, high animal densities and management practices put insects at high risk for infectious diseases. Veterinarians interested in working with these species will need to become knowledgeable regarding the diseases afflicting the feeder insect industry and how best to diagnose and treat pathogens of concern. Using the edible cricket industry as an example, this review will highlight health and production issues while drawing similarities to other traditional livestock operations. If the insects-as-feed-and-food industry is going to be viable, veterinary involvement will be essential to ensure that insects can be used as a safe source of food for all. Full article

Edible Insects (EIs) are an alternative source of bioactive compounds such as proteins or fatty acids and micronutrients as vitamins or minerals, thus showing potential to replace traditional foodstuffs in an economical and environmentally friendly way. Nonetheless, EIs can accumulate hazardous chemicals such as mycotoxins and heavy metals. The aim of the present study is to determine mycotoxins and heavy metal content in raw insect samples and those resulting products obtained after supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Insect samples included Acheta domesticus (cricket) meal, Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) meal, Alphitobius diaperinus (buffalo worm), and Locusta migratoria (locust). For this purpose, a QuEChERS method followed by LC-MS/MS analysis was optimized with good results for the analysis of mycotoxins, principally Aflatoxins (AFs), Ochratoxin A (OTA), and Enniatins (ENNs). In contrast, heavy metals (As, Cd, Hg, Pb) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results obtained revealed that Locust was positive for AFG2 at a level of 115.5 μg/kg, and mealworm was only contaminated with OTA at 58.1 μg/kg. Emerging mycotoxins (ENNA, ENNA1, ENNB, and ENNB1) were detected at lower levels < 2.2 µg/Kg. Concerning heavy metals, limits exceeding regulation were detected for Cd in the insect species studied, with levels up to 219 μg/kg, and for Pb in crickets (100.3 μg/kg). Finally, the analysis of the post-extraction solids after SFE processing revealed that heavy metals remained in the resulting SFE cakes, while mycotoxins were detected at negligible levels (up to 1.3 µg/Kg). Full article