• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.253-262
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that the nutritional composition of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) changes nutrients depending on the host plants. In this study, to confirm whether Locusta migratoria is an edible insect, the nutrients and harmful substances such as heavy metals and pathogens were analyzed and compared according to corn (LC) or wheat (LW) as host plants. METHODS AND RESULTS: All experimental methods mainly referred to AOAC (2004). The content of crude protein per dry weight was 77.3% in (LW), 1.1 times higher than 69.8% in LC. Crude fat was 6.5% in LW, 2.2 times less than LC 14.3%. Alpha-linolenic acid, which has the highest content among unsaturated fatty acids, was 1.2 times higher in LC (39.9%) than LW (32.5%). As a result of analysis of harmful substances by LC and LW, lead and cadmium among heavy metals were at levels suitable for heavy metal standards of edible insects, and arsenic was not detected in both groups. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were not detected in both groups. CONCLUSION: When comparing the overall nutrients composition of LW and LC, it was confirmed nutrients are different depending on the host plants, and the safety was proved.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1152-1160
• /
• 2017

A unicellular green alga was axenically isolated from a tidal pool on Ulleung-do, Korea. Morphological, molecular, and biochemical analyses revealed that the isolate belonged to Auxenochlorella protothecoides. The current study is the first record of this species in Korea. The microalgal strain was named as A. protothecoides MM0011 and its growth, lipid and pigment compositions, and biomass properties were investigated. The strain is able to thrive in a wide range of temperatures ($5{\sim}35^{\circ}C$) and to withstand up to 1.5 M NaCl. The results of GC/MS analysis showed that the isolate was rich in nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Its major fatty acids were linoleic acid (27.6%) and ${\alpha}-linolenic$ acid (39.6%). Thus, this indigenous microalga has potential as an alternative source of ${\omega}3$ and ${\omega}6$ PUFAs, which currently come from fish and plant oils. Also, the HPLC analysis revealed that the value-added antioxidant, lutein, was biosynthesized as the accessory pigments by the microalga. A proximate analysis showed that the volatile matter content was 85.6% and an ultimate analysis indicated that the gross calorific value was $20.3MJ\;kg^{-1}$. Since 40.5% of total nitrogen and 27.9% of total phosphorus were removed from the medium, respectively, it also has potential as a feedstock for biofuel applications which could be coupled to wastewater treatment. In addition, the biomass may also serve as an excellent animal feed because of its high protein content (51.4%). Therefore, A. protothecoides MM0011 shows promise for application in production of microalgae-based biochemicals and as a biomass feedstock.