• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.253-262
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that the nutritional composition of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) changes nutrients depending on the host plants. In this study, to confirm whether Locusta migratoria is an edible insect, the nutrients and harmful substances such as heavy metals and pathogens were analyzed and compared according to corn (LC) or wheat (LW) as host plants. METHODS AND RESULTS: All experimental methods mainly referred to AOAC (2004). The content of crude protein per dry weight was 77.3% in (LW), 1.1 times higher than 69.8% in LC. Crude fat was 6.5% in LW, 2.2 times less than LC 14.3%. Alpha-linolenic acid, which has the highest content among unsaturated fatty acids, was 1.2 times higher in LC (39.9%) than LW (32.5%). As a result of analysis of harmful substances by LC and LW, lead and cadmium among heavy metals were at levels suitable for heavy metal standards of edible insects, and arsenic was not detected in both groups. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were not detected in both groups. CONCLUSION: When comparing the overall nutrients composition of LW and LC, it was confirmed nutrients are different depending on the host plants, and the safety was proved.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.140-153
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to organize research trends by analyzing healing studies using emotional insects, and to suggest future research directions. As a result, only six emotional insect species were used for healing purposes, and most of the age groups of the test subjects were elementary school students and the elderly. As for the type of research, field application of the healing program was dominant at 76.5%. Effectiveness verification was mainly conducted through questionnaires before and after participating in the healing program. In some cases, stress-related salivary hormones were used as indicators or clinical tests were conducted by medical staff. Based on the results of this analysis, future strategies such as finding new emotional insect species, developing various types of healing program models, and expanding and subdividing the target subjects were suggested to promote the growth of the healing industry using emotional insects in the future.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.221-227
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• 2022

In accordance with Article 6 of the 「Insect Industry Promotion and Support Act」, the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences conducted a fact-finding investigation in the insect industry for related workers in 2020. Most commonly, insect industry workers were involved in production (98.5%), the male ratio was high (80.4%), while those in their 50s comprised 36.4% of the workers. As for the uses of industrial insects, 66.5% was for food and medicine, 12.7% for feed, and 20.7% as pets. The most commonly produced industrial insect species by use were the white-spotted flower chafer (69.6%), Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe), for food and medicine; crickets (31.2%) for feed; and the rhinoceros beetle (45.6%), Allomyrina dichotoma (Linnaeus), as pets. Powder was the most common product form at 68.5%, and live insects constituted 40.9%. Insect farms with an annual income accounted for 77.3%, of which 65.4% had annual sales of less than 20 million won. Market acquisition was rated by most insect industry workers (84.0%) as the primary challenge. In conclusion, although the number of people employed in the insect industry is increasing annually, the number of young insect farmers (20s to 40s) is decreasing. The production of industrial insects was limited to a few species, and more than half of insect farms have very low incomes. Furthermore, insect farms have the greatest difficulty in market acquisition, necessitating the development of utilization technology to promote the consumption of industrial insects.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.99-106
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• 2024

Functional foods, introduced in the early 1980s, offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition and are increasingly demanded due to growing consumer awareness of diet-health relationships. This review explores insect-based functional foods, highlighting their nutritional benefits, health implications, and applications. Edible insects, such as crickets, mealworms, and locusts, are rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, making them a promising solution for food security and sustainability. Insect-based foods contribute to weight management, cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory properties, gut health, and potential anti-cancer benefits. Despite most insects being low in calcium and potassium, they are high in phosphorus and, to a lesser extent, magnesium. Active components like royal jelly, bee pollen, and extracts from Tenebrio molitor and Periplaneta americana L. have shown potential in osteoporosis prevention by improving bone density and reducing bone resorption. Silk sericin-based functional foods also exhibit preventive and therapeutic effects against bone loss. However, challenges such as regulatory barriers, food safety concerns, consumer acceptance, potential allergenicity, and the need for standardization and quality control must be addressed. This review underscores the potential of insect-based functional foods in enhancing health and well-being, particularly for osteoporosis prevention, and highlights the need for further research and regulatory harmonization to facilitate their adoption.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.702-707
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• 2017

Insects and their extract have been traditionally used as medicinal resources in Asia. Recently, Gryllus bimaculatus and the larva of Tenebrio molitor, Protaetia brevitarsis, and Allomyrina dichotoma were enlisted as general food ingredients by Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. As the interest in these insects is growing, the detailed investigation is needed for the standardization of suitable and safe rearing techniques. This survey was conducted via personal interviews about edible insect rearing farms in Korea. The basic feed is fermented oak sawdust for P. brevitarsis and A. dichotoma and wheat bran for T. molitor. The various feed additives are blended with each farm's own recipes. The overall growth condition, including sawdust fermentation method, feeding period, and rearing density, varies among the investigated farms. It seems that weight of last instar larva was correlated with the rearing density and duration of the larval period. The heavy metal contents were analyzed after 48 hour starvation and they were very small amount or not detected in investigated insects. We believe that the present data will contribute to develop and standardize the safe rearing techniques of edible insects in Korea.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.55-59
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• 2023

One of the necessary conditions for the mass production of the edible insect, the white-spotted flower chafer Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe), is to breed a strain with excellent egg-laying ability. To identify external morphological traits related to egg-laying ability, we investigated the effects of the weight, length, and width of female adults on egg production. Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed a positive correlation between the weight of female adults and egg production. This study suggests that selection of heavier females is a good strategy for breeding strains with superior egg-laying characteristics. The results of this study will serve as important foundational data for future breeding of superior strains.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.833-840
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• 2023

Insect-healing program is designed for farm use, and this study attempted to scientifically investigate its healing effect based on application methods. The insects used in the program are Trypoxylus dichotomus, Papilio xuthus, and Bombyx mori. Insect-healing program was conducted on 61 adults of over 50 years old and at two different farms for 12 weeks. Stress, anxiety, insomnia, and cognitive function were measured through pre- and post-surveys. Result of the analysis showed that cognitive function changed positively in direct experienced group (those that encountered live insects) and indirect experience group (those that encountered insects only through photos and videos). However, psychological variables such as stress and anxiety decreased and sleep time increased significantly only in the direct experienced group. These results demonstrate that an agro-healing program that involve the use of insect must include activities such as raising and taking care of live insect to achieve positive psychological healing effects.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.283-288
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• 2022

The study aimed to investigate the psychological effect of the emotional insect-assisted healing program on the stress experienced by 43 children in a community child center. Silkworm (Bombyx mori [Linnaeus]) was used in the healing programs, and the stress was measured using salivary alpha-amylase levels. Saliva samples and a survey on insect preference were collected before and after the healing programs, respectively. After the program, the satisfaction score for participation was evaluated. Results indicate that the emotional insect-assisted healing programs led to statistically significant lowering of salivary alpha-amylase levels and increased the preference for insects. The children's satisfaction in the healing program activities using silkworms was 4.23 points out of 5.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2020

Metarhizium anisopliae is one of the entomopathogenic fungi infecting Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis. Environmental conditions strongly affect the virulence of entomopathogenic fungus. To test the susceptibility of P. brevitarsis seulensis larvae to M. anisopliae, we determined level mortality rates under different rearing conditions: temperatures (20℃, 25℃, 30℃), relative humidities (RH; RH 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%), and water content in sawdust (40%, 50%, 60%). The mortality rate of larvae treated with 5×10⁶ conidia mL^-1 M. anisopliae was not significantly affected by rearing temperature, but was affected by low RH (40%) and low water content in sawdust (40%), both of which resulted in high mortality rates. Mortality rated among M. anisopliae-treated 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd instar larvae were highest in 1^st instar larvae.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.883-890
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• 2022

The present study investigated the feasibility of using the ethanolic extract of Hermetia illucens larvae (HIE) as a whitening improvement material. In cell viability assays using B16F1 melanoma cells, no cytotoxicity was recorded up to 200 ㎍·mL^-1 of HIE. Moreover, while tyrosinase inhibitory activity increased, melanin content decreased in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HIE likely inhibited tyrosine-induced intracellular melanin biosynthesis in B16F1 melanoma cells. Therefore, HIE is expected to serve as a potent whitening improvement material.