Abstract:The carmine cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa) has high economic value as it is a natural source of carminic acid, an organic chromophore used in a wide range of sectors including pharmaceutics, food, and cosmetics. High demand is fuelling the search for innovative production techniques in order to move away from dependence on the prickly pear, which carries a number of limitations. The aim of this study was to establish cochineal colonies and breed and mass-produce the insects using two laboratory-scale pro… Show more
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