Microbial community assessment of mealworm larvae ( Tenebrio molitor ) and grasshoppers ( Locusta migratoria migratorioides ) sold for human consumption

Stoops, Jesse; Crauwels, Sam; Waud, Michael; Claes, Johan; Lievens, Bart; Campenhout, Leen Van

doi:10.1016/j.fm.2015.09.010

Cited by 155 publications

(153 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(41 reference statements)

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“…Nevertheless, as there are no specific criteria for insects sold as human food, the Superior Health Council (SHC) and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) of Belgium advised producers to refer to hygiene criteria of minced meat in EU Regulation (EC) No. 1441/2007 [19,20]. Belgian consumers can find a few insects (mealworms, house crickets, and migratory locusts) from the FASFC list in supermarkets, and all these insects are already formulated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological Load of Edible Insects Found in Belgium

Megido

Desmedt

Blecker

et al. 2017

Insects

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Edible insects are gaining more and more attention as a sustainable source of animal protein for food and feed in the future. In Belgium, some insect products can be found on the market, and consumers are sourcing fresh insects from fishing stores or towards traditional markets to find exotic insects that are illegal and not sanitarily controlled. From this perspective, this study aims to characterize the microbial load of edible insects found in Belgium (i.e., fresh mealworms and house crickets from European farms and smoked termites and caterpillars from a traditional Congolese market) and to evaluate the efficiency of different processing methods (blanching for all species and freeze-drying and sterilization for European species) in reducing microorganism counts. All untreated insect samples had a total aerobic count higher than the limit for fresh minced meat (6.7 log cfu/g). Nevertheless, a species-dependent blanching step has led to a reduction of the total aerobic count under this limit, except for one caterpillar species. Freeze-drying and sterilization treatments on European species were also effective in reducing the total aerobic count. Yeast and mold counts for untreated insects were above the Good Manufacturing Practice limits for raw meat, but all treatments attained a reduction of these microorganisms under this limit. These results confirmed that fresh insects, but also smoked insects from non-European trades, need a cooking step (at least composed of a first blanching step) before consumption. Therefore, blanching timing for each studied insect species is proposed and discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological Load of Edible Insects Found in Belgium

Megido

Desmedt

Blecker

et al. 2017

Insects

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“…This is higher than the recommended values for minced meat, which is considered comparable (EC 1441/2007) [43][44][45][46][47]. The pulverized larvae also contained 7.2 log CFU/g enterobacteria, 3.6 log CFU/g endospores, and up to 5.3 log CFU/g yeast and fungi [43,45,46]. The log CFU/g values decreased to less than two when the larvae were not completely pulverized before measuring the microbial load [48], but this could reflect the trapping of microbes in the gut, which would prevent their cultivation, although they would still be found in the final product.…”

Section: Microbial Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…Several culture-based studies that measured the number of microbial colony forming units (CFUs) revealed that freeze-dried or fresh mealworms contain large numbers of aerobic bacteria (up to 8 log CFU/g) when the larvae are pulverized. This is higher than the recommended values for minced meat, which is considered comparable (EC 1441/2007) [43][44][45][46][47]. The pulverized larvae also contained 7.2 log CFU/g enterobacteria, 3.6 log CFU/g endospores, and up to 5.3 log CFU/g yeast and fungi [43,45,46].…”

Section: Microbial Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 88%

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Sustainable farming of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor for the production of food and feed

Grau

Vilcinskas

Joop

2017

Zeitschrift Für Naturforschung C

144

100

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Abstract:The farming of edible insects is an alternative strategy for the production of protein-rich food and feed with a low ecological footprint. The industrial production of insect-derived protein is more cost-effective and energy-efficient than livestock farming or aquaculture. The mealworm Tenebrio molitor is economically among the most important species used for the large-scale conversion of plant biomass into protein. Here, we review the mass rearing of this species and its conversion into food and feed, focusing on challenges such as the contamination of food/feed products with bacteria from the insect gut and the risk of rapidly spreading pathogens and parasites. We propose solutions to prevent the outbreak of infections among farmed insects without reliance on antibiotics. Transgenerational immune priming and probiotic bacteria may provide alternative strategies for sustainable insect farming.

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“…They are typically used as a food source for reptile, fish, and avian pets. They are also provided to wild birds in bird feeders, particularly during the nesting season, when birds are raising their young and appreciate a ready food supply (Stoops et al, 2016). Experiments on mice fed with the filtrate of larval powder solution showed that the insect sample was safe to the mice, and it was effective on antifatigue, delaying aging, decreasing the level of serum total cholesterol and micronuclear rate in polychromatic erythrocytes, and increasing the perilymphocyte transformative rate in tested mice or mice (Siemianowska et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunomodulatory effects of supercritical fluid CO2 extracts from freeze-dried powder of Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm)

Tang

Dai

2016

Food Sci. Technol

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In order to take full advantage of Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) resources, the supercritical CD 2 fluid freeze-dried powder of T. molitor larvae (fdTML) extraction on the immune systems of mice was carried out. The results about the effects of supercritical CD 2 fluid fdTML extraction on carbon expurgation and phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages experiments of mice indicated that the fdTML extraction enhanced observably carbon expurgatory index, phagocytic rate and phagocytic index. The fdTML extraction could stimulate response of delayed hypersensitivity. The proliferation of ConA-induced mitogenic reponse for spleen lymphocyte was also increased. The amount of hemolytic antibody in mice serum increased compared with those of the control group mice. The half of hemolysis values in serum of treated mice increased compared to the control group. Furthermore, serum ND content in all treatment groups was higher than that of the control group whereas acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity was only significantly higher relative to the control group. Dur findings suggest that supercritical CD 2 fluid the fdTML extraction has potential as a health food supplement.Keywords: food supplement; immunological function; immunoregulation; insect utilization; supercritical CD 2 fluid extraction.Practical Application: Yellow mealworm extractions by SFE-CD 2 supplementation in feed enhance the immune function.

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Microbial community assessment of mealworm larvae ( Tenebrio molitor ) and grasshoppers ( Locusta migratoria migratorioides ) sold for human consumption

Cited by 155 publications

References 38 publications

Microbiological Load of Edible Insects Found in Belgium

Microbiological Load of Edible Insects Found in Belgium

Sustainable farming of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor for the production of food and feed

Immunomodulatory effects of supercritical fluid CO2 extracts from freeze-dried powder of Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm)

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