• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.297-307
• /
• 2018

The aim of this study was to develop a seasoning paste fermented by Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis using three edible insects: Tenebrio molitor larvae, Gryllus bimaculatus, and Bombyx mori pupa. No significant changes in pH and titratable acidity were observed between the insect pastes and soybean control during a 5-week fermentation process. The amino nitrogen was 0.35-0.50% (w/w) in the early stage of the fermentation and increased to 0.72-0.78%. The total nitrogen was 2.36-3.62% (w/w) in the early stage and was preserved during the fermentation period. Free amino acids of the insect pastes were similar to those in soybean paste. In general, the fermented insect pastes showed a lower flavor and color than soybean paste but B. mori pupa-fermented paste did not show any significant difference in preference from soybean. Glutamate, aspartate, lysine, phenylalanine, arginine, and serine were found to affect taste preference. It was possible to ferment edible insect protein to produce a fermented seasoning paste like Korean doenjang.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.403-408
• /
• 2020

The quality characteristics of fish cakes containing different amounts of mealworm powder were analyzed. The moisture content decreased while water absorption index increased with the addition of mealworm powder. The L value was decreased but a value was increased as the amount of mealworm powder added increased. The hardness and cutting forces were 2.63 and 0.09 kg, respectively, in the 0% fried fish cake. With an increase in the amount of mealworm powder, the hardness and cutting force increased to 3.18 and 0.14 kg in the 9% fried fish cake. The pH did not differ with the addition of mealworm powder. During the sensory evaluation, 0 and 3% groups had the highest scores in color, flavor, taste, texture and overall acceptance. These scores decreased with increasing mealworm powder content. Based on the results of the quality characteristics and sensory evaluation, the amount of mealworm powder addition suitable for fish cake production was 3%.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.62 no.3
• /
• pp.365-373
• /
• 2020

This study was designed to evaluate the influence of dietary supplementation of Tenebrio molitor larvae (TM) as an alternative source of protein to fish meal on growth response, retention of nutrient, hematological factors, immune system, and intestinal integrity in weaned pigs. A total of 180 weanling pigs (initial bodyweight of 6.27 ± 0.15 kg; 21 d) were distributed based on the bodyweight between 3 treatments with 6 replicates in each treatment including 10 piglets per replicate. The diets corresponding to treatments consisted of a fish meal diet (CON), a fish meal-dried mealworm diet (TM1, 50% replacement of fish meal with TM meal), and a dried mealworm diet (TM2, 100% replacement of fish meal with TM meal). This study was performed in two phases as phase 1 (d 0 to 14) and phase 2 (d 15 to 28). The pigs in the TM2 treatment showed a greater gain to feed ratio compared with the TM1 pigs in phase 1. Throughout the experimental period, the average daily gain (ADG) of the TM1 pigs was significantly greater than that of the TM2 treatment. The IgG concentration was increased in the TM1 and TM2 treatments compared with the CON pigs in phase 1. In conclusion, the supplementation of TM meal (50% replacement of fish meal) did not show any adverse effects in the performance of weanling pigs, however, 100% replacement of fish meal with TM meal is not recommended.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2017

Among different types of spoilage, microbial contamination can cause feed decomposition, which results in decreases in feed intake and productivity, infection, and breeding disorder. During the storage time, various microbes have a chance to inoculate with depreciation of feed and to infect the animals. We investigated bacteria that inhabit diverse feed ingredients and complete feed which have been stored for a few months. We isolated and identified 30 genera and 62 species of bacteria. Among these 62 species, 21 species were of non-pathogenic bacteria, 18 species were of pathogenic bacteria, 9 species were of opportunistic pathogens, and 14 species were of unknown bacteria. Pantoea allii and 24 species showed proteolytic enzyme activity. We also confirmed that 6 species including Pseudomonas psychrotolerans showed ${\alpha}$-amylase activity, and 29 species including Burkholderia vietnamiensis showed cellulase activity. Microbacterium testaceum and 3 species showed resistance to Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin, Gentamicin, Carbenicillin, and Erythromycin ($50{\mu}g/mL$). Using mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor L.) as a model for pathogenicity, we confirmed that 8 species including Staphylococcus xylosus had pathogenicity for mealworm larvae. Especially, Enterobacter hormaechei, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Staphylococcus hominis were reported as being pathogenic for humans. This research suggests that hygienic management of animal feed is essential because beneficial and harmful bacteria can inhabit animal feed differently during storage and distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.435-441
• /
• 2017

The present study was carried out to evaluate the applicability of Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworm) as a health functional food material in order to contribute to the development of the domestic insect industry and health functional food industry. Protein hydrolysates were prepared from mealworm powder by enzymatic hydrolysis using five different proteases (alcalase, bromelain, flavourzyme, neutrase, and papain), and the hydrolysates were then tested for their antioxidant activities. Based on available amino group contents and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses, mealworms treated with alcalase ($4,781.39{\mu}g/mL$), flavourzyme ($5,429.35{\mu}g/mL$), or neutrase ($3,155.55{\mu}g/mL$) for 24 h showed high degree of hydrolysis (HD) value, whereas HD values of bromelain ($1,800{\mu}g/mL$) and papain-treated ($1,782.61{\mu}g/mL$) mealworms were much lower. Protein hydrolysates showing high HD values were further separated into > 3 kDa and ${\leq}3kDa$ fractions by a centrifugal filter system and then lyophilized, and the production yields of the low molecular weight protein hydrolysates (${\leq}3kDa$) by alcalase, flavourzyme, and neutrase were 42.05%, 26.27%, and 30.01%, respectively. According to the RC_{50} values of the protein hydrolysates (${\leq}3kDa$) obtained from three different antioxidant analyses, all three hydrolysates showed similar antioxidant activities. Thus, alcalase hydrolysates showing the highest production yield of low molecular weight protein hydrolysates were further tested for their inhibitory effects on peroxidation of linoleic acid by measuring thiobarbituric acid values, and the results show that peroxidation of untreated linoleic acid increased dramatically during 6 days of incubation. However, pretreatment with the hydrolysates ($100{\sim}800{\mu}g/mL$) significantly inhibited linoleic acid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner over 6 days.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.570-579
• /
• 2019

Diabetes is one of the serious chronic metabolic diseases caused by Westernized eating habits, and the goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood glucose at a normal level and prevent diabetic complications. This study was designed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of a mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) extract (MWE) on hyperglycemia in an animal model with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice were divided into three groups: diabetic control, rosiglitazone, and MWE. The mice supplemented with MWE showed significantly lower blood levels of glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin when compared with the diabetic control mice. The homeostatic index of insulin resistance was significantly lower in mice supplemented with MWE than in diabetic control mice. MWE supplementation significantly stimulated the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 and Akt, and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in insulin signaling pathway of skeletal muscles. Eventually, MWE increased the expression of the plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) via PI3K/Akt activation. These findings demonstrate that the increase in plasma membrane GLUT4 expression by MWE promoted the uptake of blood glucose into cells and relieved hyperglycemia in skeletal muscles of diabetic C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice. Therefore, mealworms are expected to prove useful for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, and further studies are needed to improve type 2 diabetes in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.200-207
• /
• 2015

Various natural products or their derivatives, mostly originating from plants, fungi, and bacteria, have been exploited as therapeutic drugs to treat various human diseases. In addition to previously explored organisms, research on natural compounds has now expanded into unexamined living organisms in order to identify novel bioactive substances. Here, we determined whether or not the larval form of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle, contains cytotoxic substances that exclusively affect cancer cell viability. Ethanol extract and its solvent partitioned fractions, hexane and ethyl acetate fractions, showed anticancer effects against various human cancer cells derived from the prostate (PC3 and 22Rv1), cervix (HeLa), liver (PLC/PRF5, HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-HEP-1), colon (HCT116), lung (NCI-H460), breast (MDA-MB231), and ovary (SKOV3). Cell death induced by the fractions was a mix of apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. The hexane fraction was administered intraperitoneally to nude mice bearing a hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 and showed inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, we concluded that worm extracts contain cytotoxic substances, which can be enriched by proper fractionation protocols, and further separation and purification could lead to the identification of novel molecules to treat human cancers.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.191-198
• /
• 2024

To verify the nutritional value and safety of larvae fed with a soymilk residue-added food source, we compared and analyzed the nutritional components of and harmful substances in Tenebrio molitor larvae reared on wheat bran. Crude protein content based on dry weight was 1.2 times higher in the 10% soymilk residue-fed group (SR) (54.0%) than in the wheat bran-fed group (WB) (43.5%). Dietary fiber also tended to be 1.9 times more in the SR (4.9%) than the WB (2.5%). Among unsaturated fatty acids, the linoleic acid content was found to be 1.1-fold higher in the SR (32.9%) than in the WB (29.0%). Potassium, which was the most abundant among the macro minerals, was 1.1-fold more abundant in the WB (1,074.5 mg/100 g) than in the SR (1,014.0 mg/100 g). Among the micro minerals, zinc content was 1.2-fold higher in the SR (14.5 mg/100 g) than in the WB (11.9 mg/100 g). The results of the analysis of hazardous substances in the WB and SR revealed that the amount of heavy metals met the standards for heavy metals in edible insects, and food poisoning-inducing bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were not detected in all groups. These results indicate that mealworm larvae fed with 10% soymilk residue have abundant nutrients and are safe for intake. Thus, food sources with added soymilk residue has the potential to be used as feed ingredients.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2016

Distillers dried grain (DDG) and makgeolli spent grain (MSG) are agricultural byproducts to produce alcoholic beverage. However, they are known to contain enough nutrients. Mealworm is a promising insect resource for an animal feed ingredient as well as alternative human food. With low cost, DDG and MSG were investigated as a feed ingredient for rearing high quality mealworms. DDG and MSG were mixed with wheat bran and compared to control feed (only wheat bran) for its effects on larval survivorship, larval weight, duration for developmental period, pupation rate, and pupal weight. When DDG added, larval survivorship was reduced to 50~70% compared to the control group. Larvae fed on DDG were heavier from third to sixth week. Especially, larvae with 50% DDG were 28% heavier than the control group at the third week. For the larval period, the 50% DDG group was 11% less than that for the control. The pupal weight for the 30% DDG group was 7% heavier than that for the control group. Pupation rates for all the DDG groups were higher than 90%. When compared to the control, larval survivorship for the 70% MSG group was low, but the 50% and 70% MSG groups were high during the seventh and eighth weeks because of delayed development. After the eighth week, larvae with 70% MSG showed the highest larval weight increase as 9~18% compared to the control group. Except 70% MSG group, all of MSG groups showed more than 90% pupation rates. We confirmed that adding 30~50% of DDG or MSG to conventional wheat bran have a strong potential to replace the conventional wheat bran insect feed for quality insect production.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.849-859
• /
• 2016

Edible insects have gained recognition worldwide as complementary protein sources. Recently, four edible insects were newly allowed to be used as food materials in Korea: the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), the cricket (Velarifictorus asperses), the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva (Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis), and the rhinoceros beetle larva (Allomyrina dichotoma). In this study, we evaluated the oxidative stabilities of these four edible insects during cold storage. The insects were sacrificed by blanching for 3 minutes in boiling water. The blanched insects were then stored at $4^{\circ}C$ in an incubator for 42 days. The color values, titratable acidity, peroxide values, acid values, TBARS, contents of VBN, and total plate counts of the insects were measured at days 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42, respectively. Blanching decreases oxidative stresses during storage. At day 0, the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva showed the highest values for acid value, TBARS, VBN, and microbial counts. Most of the oxidative indicators were significantly changed at day 14 in all four insects, possibly related with the growth on all microbial plates. Based on microbial safety and the oxidative stabilities of lipids and proteins, optimal storage conditions for the cricket, the white-spotted flower chaffer beetle larva, and the rhinoceros beetle larva were 10~14 days at $4^{\circ}C$. Likewise, the mealworm showed rapid oxidation after day 14, but poor qualities were not observed until day 28.