Sericulture and the edible-insect industry can help humanity survive: insects are more than just bugs, food, or feed

Park, Seok Jun; Kim, Kee‐Young; Baik, Moo-Yeol; Koh, Young Ho

doi:10.1007/s10068-022-01090-3

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…More than 1,900 species of edible insects worldwide are consumed as food and feed that supplies protein and lipids ( 40 – 42 ). Compared to traditional livestock, edible insects called mini-livestock have epidemiological advantages for use as foods and feeds, because there are no common infectious disease pathogens between insects and humans or vertebrates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to the 1990s, silkworm pupae, a byproduct of the process of producing silk fibers from cocoons, were primarily used as protein and fat sources. By scientifically investigating the health-promoting effects of various sericulture products mentioned in ancient Oriental medical documents since the 1990s, various health enhancement effects of silkworm products have been revealed ( 1 , 2 , 42 ). People can eat meats, poultry, fish, eggs, etc., which are products of traditional livestock without any aversion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Alkaline Protease-Digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects Over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-Induced Drosophila Model

Xuan

Kang

et al. 2022

Front. Nutr.

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BackgroundRecent studies have reported that steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworms, also known as HongJam, have various health-promoting effects.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to elucidate changes in the various health-promoting effects of HongJam, after its digestion with a food-grade protease.Materials and MethodsWe examined whether healthspan-promotion and rotenone-induced loss of motor-control prevention effects were enhanced in Drosophila fed with food-grade alkaline protease-digested HongJam compared to those fed with non-digested HongJam. The differences in mitochondrial functions, chemical susceptibilities, and activations of signal transduction pathways between Drosophila supplemented with various feed were examined to elucidate the molecular and biochemical basis of healthspan-promotion and locomotor-improvement effects of protease-digested HongJam.ResultsWe first found that the healthspan-promotion effect of HongJam digested with a food-grade protease was different depending on the silkworm variety used for its production. Digestion with food-grade protease into White-Jade HongJam (WJ) as prepared from the White-Jade silkworm variety that spins white cocoons did not enhance its functionality. However, compared to Golden-Silk HongJam (GS), a food-grade protease-digested Golden-Silk HongJam (GSD) produced from the Golden-Silk silkworm variety that spins yellow cocoons, it further promoted the healthspan in a Drosophila model. By conducting a series of studies to reveal the molecular and biochemical basis for healthspan-promoting effects, we found that GS and GSD similarly enhanced mitochondrial activity, but GSD activated autophagy signaling more than GS. In addition, GSD feed (GSDf)-, GSD supernatant feed (GSDsupf)-, and GSD precipitate feed (GSDprecf)-reared Drosophila were also found to have increased resistance to an autophagy inhibitor compared to that of normal feed- or GS feed-reared Drosophila. Furthermore, we found that the rotenone-induced loss of motor control prevention effect was superior for GSDsup compared to GS, GSD, or GSDprec. This result may have occurred because GSDsup has more phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities than other samples.ConclusionGSDsup contained more digested small peptides and free phytochemicals than other samples due to the digestion of proteins with a food-grade protease. Thus, GSDsup leads to further healthspan-promoting and locomotor-improvement effects than GS, GSD, or GSDprec.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Alkaline Protease-Digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects Over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-Induced Drosophila Model

Xuan

Kang

et al. 2022

Front. Nutr.

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“…This powder may be used in or on any food or beverage [ 41 ]. It should also be noted that FEH has been manufactured and sold as a healthy functional food in the Republic of Korea since 2009 [ 42 ].…”

Section: Safety Of Silk Fehmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Silk Fibroin Enzyme Hydrolysates on Memory and Learning: A Review

Stohs

Bucci²

2022

Molecules

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Silk protein products have been used for a wide range of applications. This review focuses on the studies conducted relative to cognitive functions with silk fibroin enzyme hydrolysates (FEH) in humans and animals. All known studies reported in PubMed and Google Scholar have been included. Studies have been conducted on children, high school and college students, adults and seniors, ranging in ages from 7–92 years. Doses of 200–600 mg silk FEH per day for three weeks to 16 weeks have been used. Based on these studies, it can be concluded that silk FEH exhibit beneficial cognitive effects with respect to memory and learning, attention, mental focus, accuracy, memory recall, and overall memory and concentration. These conclusions are supported by studies in rats and mice. Mechanistic studies that have been conducted in animals and cell culture systems are also reviewed. These studies indicate that silk FEH exerts its positive effects on memory and learning by providing neuroprotection via a complex mechanism involving its potent antioxidant and inflammation-inhibiting activities. Acetylcholine (ACh) is secreted by cholinergic neurons, and plays a role in encoding new information. Silk FEH were shown to decrease the levels of the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory mediators interlukin-1 (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), protecting the cholinergic system from oxidative stress, thus enhancing ACh levels in the brain, which is known to promote cognitive functions. In addition, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF), which is involved in the survival of neurons, is enhanced, and an increase in the expression of the phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) occurs, which is known to play a positive role in cognitive functions. No adverse effects have been reported in association with the use of silk FEH.

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“…They are excellent sources of protein, healthy fatty acids, fiber, vitamin B2, and niacin. Certain insects also possess therapeutic properties and may be used as preventive medicine for humans [3], a practice known as entomotherapy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Edible Insects in Thailand: An Overview of Status, Properties, Processing, and Utilization in the Food Industry

Krongdang

Phokasem

Venkatachalam

et al. 2023

Foods

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Edible insects have become increasingly popular in Thailand as a nutritious and appealing alternative food source. As the edible insect industry in the country expands rapidly, efforts are being made to transform it into an economically viable sector with substantial commercial potential. Some of the most consumed and sold edible insects in Thailand include locusts, palm weevils, silkworm pupae, bamboo caterpillars, crickets, red ants, and giant water bugs. With its strong growth, Thailand has the potential to emerge as a global leader in the production and promotion of edible insect products. Edible insects are an excellent source of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. In particular, crickets and grasshoppers are protein-rich, with the average protein content of edible insects ranging from 35 to 60 g/100 g of dry weight or 10 to 25 g/100 g of fresh weight. This surpasses the protein content of many plant-based sources. However, the hard exoskeleton of insects, which is high in chitin, can make them difficult to digest. In addition to their nutritional value, edible insects contain biologically active compounds that offer various health benefits. These include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-collagenase, elastase-inhibitory, α-glucosidase-inhibitory, pancreatic lipase-inhibitory, antidiabetic/insulin-like/insulin-like peptide (ApILP), antidiabetic, anti-aging, and immune-enhancing properties. The Thai food industry can process and utilize edible insects in diverse ways, such as low-temperature processing, including refrigeration and freezing, traditional processing techniques, and incorporating insects into products, such as flour, protein, oil, and canned food. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the status, functional properties, processing, and utilization of edible insects in Thailand, and it serves as a valuable resource for those interested in edible insects and provides guidance for their application in various fields.

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Sericulture and the edible-insect industry can help humanity survive: insects are more than just bugs, food, or feed

Cited by 15 publications

References 93 publications

An Alkaline Protease-Digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects Over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-Induced Drosophila Model

An Alkaline Protease-Digestion of Silkworm Powder Enhances Its Effects Over Healthspan, Autophagy, and Mitochondria Function in a Rotenone-Induced Drosophila Model

Effects of Silk Fibroin Enzyme Hydrolysates on Memory and Learning: A Review

Edible Insects in Thailand: An Overview of Status, Properties, Processing, and Utilization in the Food Industry

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