• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2005

In our research to identify gene involved in the cuticle protein, we cloned a novel cuticle protein gene, ApCP15.5, from the Chinese oak silkmoth, Antheraea pernyi, larvae cDNA library. The gene encodes a 149 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 15.5 kDa and a pI of 9.54. The ApCP15.5 contained a type-specific consensus sequence identifiable in other insect cuticle proteins and the deduced amino acid sequence of the ApCP15.5 cDNA is most homologous to Tenebrio molitor-C1B ($43\%$ protein sequence identity), followed by Locusta migratoria-76 ($42\%$ protein sequence identity). Northern blot and Western blot analyses revealed that the ApCP15.5 showed the epidermis-specific expression. The expression profile of ApCP15.5 indicated that the ApCP15.5 mRNA expression was detected in the early stages after larval ecdysis and larval-pupal metamorphosis, and its expression level was most significant on the first day of larval ecdysis and pupal stage. The ApCP15.5 was expressed as a 15.5 kDa polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect cells.

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

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

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.152-164
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• 2018

Fermented seasoning pastes were prepared by Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis using three edible insects, Tenebrio molitor larvae (TMP), Gryllus bimaculatus (GBP), and Bombyx mori pupa (SPP), with soybean (SBP) as a negative control. Volatile compounds were extracted by the headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method and confirmed by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In total, 121 volatiles from four samples were identified and sub-grouped as 11 esters, 18 alcohols, 23 aldehydes, 5 acids, 10 pyrazines, 2 pyridines, 7 aromatic hydrocarbons, 10 ketones, 19 alkanes, 9 amides, 4 furans and 3 miscellaneous. TMP, GBP, SPP and SBP had 48, 54, 36, and 55 volatile compounds, respectively. Overall, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine and trimethylpyrazine were found by a high proportion in all samples. Tetramethylpyrazine, a main flavor of doenjang, a Korean fermented seasoning soybean paste, was identified as one of the major compounds in TMP, SPP, and SBP. SBP had benzaldehyde, hexanal, n-pentanal, and aldehydes and SPP with pyrazines.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.480-485
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• 2019

The present study was conducted to compare antioxidant capacities of protein hydrolysates from four different edible insects (Protaetia brevitarsis larvae, Allomyrina dichotoma larvae, Gryllus bimaculatus imago, and Tenebrio molitor larvae) which have recently been registered as food varieties in Korea. Protein hydrolysates were prepared from each insect using enzymatic hydrolysis using alcalase, and were then separated into a fraction containing ${\leq}3kDa$. According to $RC_{50}$ values and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity results obtained from five different antioxidant analyses, the Gryllus bimaculatus (GB) hydrolysate showed relatively high levels of antioxidant capacity and, in particular, the GB hydrolysate showed considerably strong antioxidant activities in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and in ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The GB hydrolysate also showed the strongest inhibitory effect on peroxidation of linoleic acid, and its rate of inhibition at $100{\mu}g/mL$ on day 3 of treatment was 60.26%. These results suggest that protein hydrolysates from edible insects including GB represent potential sources of natural antioxidants.