• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.605-614
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• 2022

Two major problems currently threaten human survival on Earth: climate change and the rapid aging of the population in developed countries. Climate change is a result of the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere due to the increase in the use of fossil fuels owing to economic and transportation development. The rapid increase in the age of the population is a result of the rise in life expectancy due to the development of biomedical science and technology and the improvement of personal hygiene in developed countries. To avoid irreversible global climate change, it is necessary to quickly transition from the current fossil fuel-based economy to a zero-carbon renewable energy-based economy that does not emit GHGs. To achieve this goal, the dairy and livestock industry, which generates the most GHGs in the agricultural sector, must transition to using low-carbon emission production methods while simultaneously increasing consumers' preference for low-carbon diets. Although 77% of currently available arable land globally is used to produce livestock feed, only 37% and 18% of the proteins and calories that humans consume come from dairy and livestock farming and industry. Therefore, using edible insects as a protein source represents a good alternative, as it generates less GHG and reduces water consumption and breeding space while ensuring a higher feed conversion rate than that of livestock. Additionally, utilizing the functionality of medicinal insects, such as silkworms, which have been proven to have certain health enhancement effects, it is possible to develop functional foods that can prevent or delay the onset of currently incurable degenerative diseases that occur more frequently in the elderly. Insects are among the first animals to have appeared on Earth, and regardless of whether humans survive, they will continue to adapt, evolve, and thrive. Therefore, the use of various edible and medicinal insects, including silkworms, in industry will provide an important foundation for human survival and prosperity on Earth in the near future by resolving the current two major problems.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.342-354
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• 2021

Purpose: Obesity is a serious public health issue for the modern society and is considered a chronic health hazard. There are many surgical and pharmacological approaches to treat obesity. However, various potentially hazardous side effects remain the biggest challenge. Therefore, diets based on foods derived from natural products have gained increasing attention compared to anti-obesity drugs. Recently, research on edible insects as a food source has been a topic of considerable interest in the scientific communities. This study examined the anti-obesity effects of ingesting an edible insect by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse models with a diet containing Tenebrio molitor larvae powder (TMLP). Methods: Six-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were divided into 4 groups according to treatment: 100% normal diet (ND), 100% HFD (HFD), HFD 99% + TMLP 1% (TMLP), and HFD 97% + TMLP 3% (TMLP 3%). TMLP was added to the HFD for 6 weeks for the latter two groups. Results: Compared to the HFD group, mice in the TMLP group showed weight loss, and micro-computed tomographic imaging revealed that the volume of the adipose tissue in the abdominal area also showed significant reduction. After an autopsy, the fat weight was found to be significantly reduced in the TMLP group compared to the HFD group. In addition, the degree of fat cell deposition in the liver tissue and the size of the adipocytes significantly decreased in the TMLP group. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis for the mRNA expression of adipogenesis-related genes namely CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP-β, C/EBP-δ), and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) showed that the expression levels of these genes were significantly reduced in the TMLP group compared to the HFD group. Serum leptin level also decreased significantly in the TMLP group in the comparison with the HFD group. In addition, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels in mouse serum also decreased in the TMLP group. Conclusion: Taken together, our results showed that TMLP effectively inhibited adipocyte growth and reduced body weight in obese mice.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.80-98
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• 2024

Edible insects, such as the two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus, GB), have high nutritional value but are not widely consumed because of their appearance and smell. Consequently, the development of foods containing these insects in less recognizable forms, e.g., flour-like powders, has drawn considerable attention. Herein, we investigated the quality characteristics of muffins prepared from wheat flower supplemented with fresh ginseng (5%) and GB (0, 10, 20, and 40%) powders. GB loading was negatively correlated with muffin volume, height, moisture content, and textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness) and positively correlated with crude protein content and antioxidant properties. Significant (p<0.05) color differences were observed between samples with different GB loadings. The contents of hexanal and nonanal, which are the major volatiles responsible for off-flavor, increased with increasing GB loading, and the number of volatiles maximized at 40% GB. Sensory preference decreased in the order of 0% GB>10% GB≈ 20% GB>40% GB. Based on these results, a GB loading of 20% offered the best trade-off between attractiveness and nutritional value. Thus, this study promotes the widespread use of GB in the food industry and the development of various edible-insect-based food products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.827-834
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• 2018

In this study, the biological activities of aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts of larvae of the edible insect Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis, fermented using several kinds of microorganisms, were tested in in vitro experimental models. Six effective microorganisms were used for fermentation, namely Lactobacillus plantarum JBMI F3, Lactobacillus plantarum JBMI F5, Lactobacillus gasseri Ba9, Aspergillus kawachii KCCM 32819, Saccharomyces cerevisiae KACC 93023, and Bacillus subtilis KACC 91157. Biological activities (${\alpha},{\alpha}^{\prime}-diphenyl-{\beta}-picrylhydrazyl$ [DPPH] free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and fibrinolytic activity), and biochemical properties (phenolic compounds and flavonoids) were examined in aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts from P. brevitarsis seulensis powder and fermented P. brevitarsis seulensis powder. The total phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents were highest in the aqueous extract of B. subtilis-fermented P. brevitarsis seulensis powder. DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power were stronger in the fermented group than the nonfermented group. Fibrinolytic activity were highest in the extract from B. subtilis-fermented P. brevitarsis seulensis powder. The ${\alpha}-amylase$ activity in starch was higher in the fermented group than the nonfermented group, but there was no significant difference. These results provide basic data to understand the biological activities of bioactive materials derived from fermented P. brevitarsis seulensis larvae for the development of functional foods.