Effect of blanching followed by refrigerated storage or industrial microwave drying on the microbial load of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor)

Abstract

Effect of blanching followed by refrigerated storage or industrial microwave drying on the microbial load of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor), Food Control (2016),

Effect of post-harvest starvation and rinsing on the microbial numbers and the bacterial community composition of mealworm larvae ( Tenebrio molitor )

“…The average initial counts for yeasts and moulds (5.6 to 6.5 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2) were comparable to results obtained by Stoops et al (2016) and Vandeweyer et al (2017a). Additionally, the count was comparable to results obtained by Vandeweyer et al (2017b) for those batches that were obtained from the same rearing company as in our research (4.8 -5.0 log cfu/g), whereas the counts obtained from another rearing company in that study were lower (ranging from 3.5 to 3.8 log cfu/g).…”

“…Tables 1 and 2 show the microbial counts for each condition, averaged over all batches investigated. The initial total viable counts (7.9 to 8.4 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2), the initial Enterobacteriaceae counts (6.9 to 7.6 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2) and the initial psychrotrophic counts (6.7 to 7.0 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2) of the larvae examined in this study were comparable to numbers found for fresh mealworm larvae in literature (Klunder et al, 2012;Stoops et al, 2016;Vandeweyer et al, 2017a;Vandeweyer et al, 2017b). The average endospore counts (1.5 to 2.0 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2), however, were generally lower compared to those reported in literature, which generally range from 1.7 to 5.0 log cfu/g (Klunder et al, 2012;Stoops et al, 2016; …”

“…A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T 2017a; Vandeweyer et al, 2017b). The average initial counts for yeasts and moulds (5.6 to 6.5 log cfu/g; Tables 1 and 2) were comparable to results obtained by Stoops et al (2016) and Vandeweyer et al (2017a).…”

“…bacteria that has been found for mealworm larvae in other studies (Stoops et al, 2016;Vandeweyer et al, 2017a;Vandeweyer et al, 2017b). Notably, these microbes may contain possible spoilage organisms (Sperber & Doyle, 2009), but they are easily reduced in numbers by a heat treatment before consumption (Vandeweyer et al, 2017b).…”

“…More specifically, edible insects can also contain large amounts of bacterial endospores (<1.0 to 5.0 log cfu/g), Enterobacteriaceae (4.2 to 9.3 log cfu/g) and yeasts and moulds (3.5 to 7.2 log cfu/g) (Klunder et al, 2012;Stoops et al, 2016;Vandeweyer et al, 2017a;Vandeweyer et al, 2017b), which potentially harbour food pathogens or produce mycotoxins. The rearing techniques, rearing environment, feeding substrate, hygiene measures and specific handling procedures, such as starvation and rinsing after harvest, are suggested to affect the microbiota of insects (Dillon, Webster, Weightman, & Charnley, 2010;Klunder et al, 2012;Engel & Moran, 2013;SHC & FASFC, 2014;EFSA Scientific Committee, 2015;Li, Xie, Dong, Wang, & Liu, 2016), but no specific information exists.…”