Nutritional composition and safety aspects of edible insects

Insects, a traditional food in many parts of the world, are highly nutritious and especially rich in proteins and thus represent a potential food and protein source. A compilation of 236 nutrient compositions in addition to amino acid spectra and fatty acid compositions as well as mineral and vitamin contents of various edible insects as derived from literature is given and the risks and benefits of entomophagy are discussed. Although the data were subject to a large variation, it could be concluded that many edible insects provide satisfactorily with energy and protein, meet amino acid requirements for humans, are high in MUFA and/or PUFA, and rich in several micronutrients such as copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, and zinc as well as riboflavin, pantothenic acid, biotin, and in some cases folic acid. Liabilities of entomophagy include the possible content of allergenic and toxic substances as well as antinutrients and the presence of pathogens. More data are required for a thorough assessment of the nutritional potential of edible insects and proper processing and decontamination methods have to be developed to ensure food safety.     

Food safety hazards in the European seaweed chain

Seaweed is a source of protein that can help overcome the anticipated challenges of a growing world population and the current challenges for finding alternatives for animal proteins in the Western diet. Thus far, data on the safety of seaweed for feed and food purposes in the Western world are scattered. This study aimed to review the available knowledge on the presence of food safety hazards in seaweed, including factors influencing their presence, and to prioritize the hazards that may pose a risk to human health. Given current knowledge from the literature, data from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, and results from a stakeholder survey, 22 food safety hazards were ranked into major (4), moderate (5), and minor (13) hazards. Arsenic, cadmium, iodine, and Salmonella were identified as major hazards. Hazards, where data gaps exist, should be carefully assessed. These include pesticide residues, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, marine biotoxins, allergens, micro‐ and nanoplastics, other pathogenic bacteria, norovirus, and hepatitis E virus. It is recommended to collect more data on these hazards in future studies. Many factors can affect the presence of hazards including seaweed type, physiology, season, harvest and cultivation environment, geography including the location of cultivation, alongside further processing. Moreover, when seaweed is cultivated near industrialized or anthropogenic activities, these activities may negatively influence water quality, which can increase the likelihood of hazards in seaweed. Results of the ranking prioritized hazards can be used to prioritize monitoring programs and adjusted given future additional knowledge covering the data gaps.     

蚕蛹蛋白的生物活性和过敏特性的研究进展

具有高营养价值的昆虫一直以来都是我国优质的食物来源之一。蚕蛹是家蚕业的重要副产物之一，其在东亚各国作为食物和饲料已有十分悠久的历史。蚕蛹含有丰富的蛋白质、脂质、矿物质和维生素，具有十分重要的营养价值和经济价值。蚕蛹的应用范围十分广泛，我国有许多保健品、药物还有食物添加剂中都有蚕蛹的成分。蚕蛹蛋白及其水解物具有多种生物活性，具备一定的开发潜力。然而，蚕蛹也能导致轻度甚至严重的过敏反应，这些不良反应极大的限制了蚕蛹在全国范围内的普及程度。因此该研究综述了蚕蛹蛋白的生物活性和过敏特性，以期为蚕蛹的开发与利用提供一定的参考。     

Edible Insects in a Food Safety and Nutritional Perspective: A Critical Review

Increasing world population worsens the serious problem of food security in developing countries. On the other hand in industrialized countries, where the problem of food security is of minor concern, health problems related to food refer to 2 main factors: food safety and environmental sustainability of food production. For these reasons, new ways must be found to increase yields while preserving food quality, natural habitats, and biodiversity. Insects could be of great interest as a possible solution due to their capability to satisfy 2 different requirements: (i) they are an important source of protein and other nutrients; (ii) their use as food has ecological advantages over conventional meat and, in the long run, economic benefits. However, little is known on the food safety side and this can be of critical importance to meet society's approval, especially if people are not accustomed to eating insects. This paper aims to collect information in order to evaluate how insects could be safely used as food and to discuss nutritional data to justify why insect food sources can no longer be neglected. Legislative issues will also be discussed.     

Safety of Novel Protein Sources (Insects,Microalgae, Seaweed,Duckweed, and Rapeseed) and Legislative Aspects for Their Application in Food and Feed Production

Novel protein sources (like insects, algae, duckweed, and rapeseed) are expected to enter the European feed and food market as replacers for animal‐derived proteins. However, food safety aspects of these novel protein sources are not well‐known. The aim of this article is to review the state of the art on the safety of major novel protein sources for feed and food production, in particular insects, algae (microalgae and seaweed), duckweed, and rapeseed. Potential hazards for these protein sources are described and EU legislative requirements as regard to food and feed safety are explained. Potential hazards may include a range of contaminants, like heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues, as well as pathogens. Some safety aspects of novel protein sources are intrinsic to the product, but many potential hazards can also be due to production methods and processing conditions. These aspects should be considered in advance during product development. European law is unclear on several issues regarding the use of novel protein sources in food and feed products. For food product applications, the most important question for food producers is whether or not the product is considered a novel food. One of the major unclarities for feed applications is whether or not products with insects are considered animal‐derived products or not. Due to the unclarities in European law, it is not always clear which Regulation and maximum levels for contaminants apply. For market introduction, European legislation should be adjusted and clarified.     

Issues Related to the Use of Blood in Food and Animal Feed

Blood has traditionally been used as a high protein ingredient in both human food and animal feed, with resulting economic, environmental and nutritional benefits. However, potentially serious health and safety issues related to blood consumption, particularly the risk of pathogenic or harmful metabolic materials, the infectivity of prion diseases, and the presence of identified allergens such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), are causing many consumers to shy away from any product containing either animal blood or ingredients derived from animal blood. Thus, despite the significant volumes of blood produced by slaughterhouses, blood is currently underutilized as a food ingredient. This article reviews the use of animal blood as an ingredient in food intended for human consumption or for animal feed and discusses the related consumer concerns.     

Postharvest processes of edible insects in Africa: A review of processing methods,and the implications for nutrition,safety and new products development

In many African cultures, insects are part of the diet of humans and domesticated animals. Compared to conventional food and feed sources, insects have been associated with a low ecological foot print because fewer natural resources are required for their production. To this end, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized the role that edible insects can play in improving global food and nutrition security; processing technologies, as well as packaging and storage techniques that improve shelf-life were identified as being crucial. However, knowledge of these aspects in light of nutritional value, safety, and functionality is fragmentary and needs to be consolidated. This review attempts to contribute to this effort by evaluating the available evidence on postharvest processes for edible insects in Africa, with the aim of identifying areas that need research impetus. It further draws attention to potential postharvest technology options for overcoming hurdles associated with utilization of insects for food and feed. A greater research thrust is needed in processing and this can build on traditional knowledge. The focus should be to establish optimal techniques that improve presentation, quality and safety of products, and open possibilities to diversify use of edible insects for other benefits.     

海产食品微纳塑料污染现状与危害

近年来塑料对海洋环境的污染与日俱增。其中,微纳塑料碎片对海洋环境和动植物群落造成的危害,成为国际科学界的研究热点。许多商业上重要的海洋食材和食品,如甲壳类、双壳类、鱼类常常被微纳塑料污染,而微纳粒子表面通常吸附着有毒化学物质或者致病微生物,这些微纳粒子及有害物质可通过食物链富集于人体,对食品安全和人类健康构成了潜在威胁。本文主要对近年来海产品中微纳塑料污染状况及其危害的研究结果进行综述,为未来相关研究和食品安全管理提供借鉴。微纳塑料污染未来的研究重点应集中在3个方面,一是研究方法需创新并标准化,二是微纳塑料对人体健康的危害需进行全面深入的研究,三是加强微纳塑料危害食品安全的预防控制措施研究。     

镰孢菌毒素的主要类型及其收获前后的生物防控方法

镰孢菌毒素是镰孢菌属真菌产生的多种有毒性的次级代谢产物的总称,在自然界中分布极为广泛,是常见的污染粮食和饲料的真菌毒素种类,严重威胁人畜健康。近年来镰孢菌毒素污染粮食和饲料的问题日益严重,已成为普遍关注的食品安全和饲料安全热点问题之一。由于农产品收获后的物理、化学的脱毒方法存在着脱毒不彻底、营养成分流失和化学试剂残留对人畜健康的不确定性等问题;因此以生物技术为基础的综合防控镰孢菌及其毒素危害的方法成为了近年来的研究热点之一。本文将重点介绍镰孢菌毒素的主要类型及其对动植物的危害,阐述农产品收获前后生物防治镰孢菌及其毒素危害的方法,并探讨各种防控方法的优缺点以及未来可能的研究方向,以期为镰孢菌毒素综合防控策略的制定提供参考。     

Why for feed and not for human consumption? The black soldier fly larvae

With the surge in consumption of insects, the search continues to find ways to increase the popularity of insect‐based products in the Western world. The black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), which is mainly utilized for animal feed, has great potential to provide a sustainable source of nutrients for human food. This review aims to discuss some of the key benefits and challenges of BSFL and their potential role as a food ingredient and/or product for human consumption. Few articles specifically discuss BSFL as a food source, therefore a comprehensive literature search strategy consisted of collecting and evaluating published data about BSFL as animal feed that could be relevant to its use in food. The hurdles that need to be overcome in order to introduce BSFL as a viable food option include safety concerns, technofunctional properties, nutritional aspects, consumer attitudes, and product applications for BSFL.     

昆虫源生物活性物质及其开发前景

昆虫是一类潜在的生物资源。昆虫不仅生物量大、资源丰富,而且还含有丰富的生物活性物质,包括蛋白质、脂肪、激素类物质、几丁质、维生素、矿质元素等。这些物质普遍存在于昆虫体内或昆虫的一些分泌物中,具有广泛的潜在应用价值。全面综述了昆虫中的生物活性物质及其研究进展,并且对其开发前景作了展望,指出昆虫资源的开发和利用具有很大的潜力和空间,昆虫生物活性物质的研究与开发将是新世纪昆虫学研究的一个重要方向。     

昆虫功能食品研究与发展探讨

昆虫是一类重要的生物资源，营养价值高，富含许多功能因子。在分析研究昆虫功能因子的基础上，对昆虫功能食品的开发作了较全面的综述，指出了昆虫功能食品开发存在的问题和应采取的对策，最后对昆虫功能食品的开发前景作了展望。     

Safety Aspects of Nanotechnology Applications in Food Packaging

Although the application of nanotechnology provides numerous advantages related to food safety and quality, at the same time it may present a potential risk not only to human health, but can affect animals and the environment as well. Recent studies have shown that indeed there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that nanoparticles may have toxicological effects on biological systems. Food-contact materials (FCMs) are already on the market in some countries, therefore more data about the safety of engineered nanotechnology materials and nanoproducts affecting human health are necessary in the future to ensure adequate regulation and their useful application for FCMs.     

基于蛋白质和DNA的食品过敏原检测技术的研究进展

目前,食品过敏问题已成为全球性的健康问题。在食品加工过程中产生的食品过敏成分或微量过敏原对敏感机体都是巨大的健康威胁。因此,可靠的分析方法是鉴别和检测食品中过敏成分所必需的。该文综述了基于蛋白质和脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)的食品过敏原检测技术的应用及发展,并展望了其未来发展趋势。     

The meat of affliction: Insects and the future of food as seen in Expo 2015

BackgroundInsects are touted as a “food of the future” due to their lower environmental footprint relative to traditional livestock, raising interest in entomophagy as a sustainable diet. As such, they appeared at future-food themed Universal Exposition 2015 in Milan, Italy, in which 145 countries presented their nations’ food culture and contributions to innovative food science and technology.Scope and approachThe presence and absence of entomophagy in all the national and themed pavilions of Expo 2015 and the way developing and developed nations differed in their presentation of insects were analyzed as a microcosm of global attitudes to insects as food and the barriers towards its wider adoption.Key findings and conclusionsOnly Belgium and the Netherlands presented insects in their vision for the future, and only Angola as traditional cuisine. Nations noted for active entomophagy today such as Mexico and Thailand did not mention insects at all. Efforts to serve insects faced obstacles in Italian import restrictions, which changed by the event's end. Expo 2015 illustrates challenges in promoting global entomophagy, including the need for improved rearing methods, the risks of associating insects with starvation scenarios, and the preference of Westerners for processed insects over whole.     

Edible insects – defining knowledge gaps in biological and ethical considerations of entomophagy

ABSTRACT

While seeking novel food sources to feed the increasing population of the globe, several alternatives have been discussed, including algae, fungi or in vitro meat. The increasingly propagated usage of farmed insects for human nutrition raises issues regarding food safety, consumer information and animal protection. In line with law, insects like any other animals must not be reared or manipulated in a way that inflicts unnecessary pain, distress or harm on them. Currently, there is a great need for research in the area of insect welfare, especially regarding species-specific needs, health, farming systems and humane methods of killing. Recent results from neurophysiological, neuroanatomical and behavioral sciences prompt caution when denying consciousness and therefore the likelihood of presence of pain and suffering or something closely related to it to insects. From an animal protection point of view, these issues should be satisfyingly solved before propagating and establishing intensive husbandry systems for insects as a new type of mini-livestock factory farming.     

Microbes versus microbes: control of pathogens in the food chain

Foodborne illness continues as a considerable threat to public health. Despite improved hygiene management systems and increased regulation, pathogenic bacteria still contaminate food, causing sporadic cases of illness and disease outbreaks worldwide. For many centuries, microbial antagonism has been used in food processing to improve food safety. An understanding of the mode of action of this microbial antagonism has been gained in recent years and potential applications in food and feed safety are now being explored. This review focuses on the potential opportunities presented, and the limitations, of using microbial antagonism as a biocontrol mechanism to reduce contamination along the food chain; including animal feed as its first link. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

电化学免疫传感技术在食品安全中的研究进展

食品安全与人类健康息息相关,快速准确的检测技术是保障食品安全的前提。电化学免疫传感器是将特异性免疫反应与高灵敏度的传感技术相结合的一类新型生物传感器,与传统方法相比有更高的灵敏度,在医疗、农业、食品卫生、环境监测等领域有广泛的应用价值。本文重点就电化学免疫传感器的原理分类、纳米材料技术及其在真菌毒素、食品添加剂、食物过敏原、致病菌、农药残留等食品安全检测领域中的实际应用进行综述,展望其在未来发展的趋势。本文旨在通过电化学免疫传感器的总结分析,为研究者提供更多的思路和方向。     

食品过敏原快速检测技术方法研究进展

近几年食品行业的立法和监管机构对食品中的过敏成分的检测越来越关注。食品过敏已经成为全球性的食品安全问题,而由其引起的疾病严重影响了人们的正常生活,因而采用合适的方法对其进行检测是十分必要的。对目前有关食品过敏原的免疫学检测方法和核酸检测方法进行了较为全面的综述,并探讨食品中过敏原检测方法的发展前景。