• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2012

Silk protein has been explored to be used for biomedical applications for several decades. However, it has not been used in this field cause to their irreversible crystallization after dissolving in water. The existing methods of silk protein hydrolysis using silkworm cocoon were used with harmful solvents and through a very complicated process. Therefore, we have developed novel methods for the production of water-soluble hydrolysate using silkworm gland. We manufactured two types of silkworm gland-derived hydrolysate (water-soluble SGH, SSGH; total SGH, TSGH) and compared the characteristics with commercial cocoon-derived sericin hydrolysate (CSH). The molecular weight of SGH ranged from 7 to 50 kDa (SSGH) and 5 to 15 kDa (TSGH) within glycine, alanine, and aspartic acid as a main amino acid composition. In contrast, CSH ranged from 15 to 50 kDa within serine and aspartic acid. The results of FTIR implied that SGH was more soluble form than CSH, as shown by the decrease in the ${\beta}$-sheet structure at $1630cm^{-1}$ on amide I peak. In comparison with 10% fetal bovine serum, 0.1% (1 mg/ml) SSGH had equivalent effect on the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells. All results of the SSGH made by novel manufacturing process indicate the SSGH is more preferable as a culture medium supplement than cocoon-derived sericin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.1446-1451
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• 2010

Silk sericin protein was hydrolyzed by seven proteolytic enzymes to examine the effectiveness of the hydrolysates to bind iron. The amino acid nitrogen contents of hydrolysates by Flavourzyme were higher than the others enzymes, and its iron binding capacity showed dose-dependent increase. The bioavailability of iron binding peptide from sericin hydolysates was investigated in iron-deficient rats. Three-week-old male rats were fed iron-deficient diet for three weeks. Rats were divided into four groups (DD: no treated group on iron deficient diet, DD+HI: heme-iron treated group, DD+OI: sericin-Fe, and DD+II: inorganic iron ($FeSO_4$) treated group, and then iron supplemented by injection for one week. After oral administration for one week, the iron contents of serum and liver were significantly higher in DD+OI ($4.2\;{\mu}g/mL$ and $80.1\;{\mu}g/mL$) and DD+HI ($3.2\;{\mu}g/mL$ and $70.6\;{\mu}g/mL$) than DD ($2.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ and $47.9\;{\mu}g/mL$). Hemoglobin content of treated groups was significantly higher than DD, but the significant difference among groups was not shown. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels did not show any significant difference among all groups. Binding iron to peptide from sericin hydolysates seems to improve its bioavailability and to hasten the cure of iron deficiency in experimental rat.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2019

Oral gargling solution has been used for the control of halitosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of hydrogen sulphide concentration between silk oral gargling solution and commercially available oral gargling solution. Total 21 volunteers were included in this study. The relative level of hydrogen sulphide concentration was calculated to the baseline level. In terms of the primary endpoint of the trial, relative level of hydrogen sulphide concentration was $50.84{\pm}33.19%$ with silk group, versus $71.07{\pm}21.83%$ with Listerine group ($P_{non-inferiority}=0.003$). In conclusion, the results of oral gargling with a silk protein for healthy individual were non-inferior to oral gargling with Listerine for hydrogen sulphide concentration reduction.

• 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.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2002

Silk proteins consist of two major proteins, fibroin and sericin. There is currently an enormous reawakening of interest in these silk proteins as a biomaterial due to their mechanical and biological properties based on the detailed findings. Novel method for determination of the crystalline structure of silk proteins in an atomic level using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was reviewed. Recent application of silks to biomaterials and prospects for future were discussed.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.10
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• pp.73-75
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• 1969

There are two fold aims in this experimental study. The aim is to investigate the bacteria which produce the high activity enzyme or the cocoon for utilization to the textile and the industry. The ether is to protect against the bacteria that damage silk protein during storage. The results are summarized as followes: 1. Among the isolated bacteria from the cocoon, No 4 strain had the high activity of the $\alpha$-amylase. But this strain had not been identified. The results of experiment is shown in the table II. 2. Among the isolated bacteria from the cocoon, No II strain had the high activity of the protease on substance of the casein. The results of the experiment is shown in the table II. 3. The bacteria which had the high activity of the degumming effect of the sericin, the part of the operation for 7 days was higher part of the operation for 3 days. The results of the experiment are indicated in Fig I and Fig II.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 1973

The purpose of this studies is to improve the cohesion of raw silk through various analyses on cocoon drying, cooking, reeling, re-reeling, and on the properties of water. Also we investigated the correlation between silk testing items which we have reached to the following results. 1. Drying of cocoon When cocoons were slowly dried with 100$^{\circ}C$, the results of cohesion became much better. On the other hand, the results were considerably decreased in case the temperature with 115$^{\circ}C$. 2. Cooking of cocoon In case of the cooking of cocoon, we found that the result of cohesion was best with incomplete cooking, that of the control was next, while in over cooking, the results were very low. Also the results of cohesion were much better when using the method of over cooking with sericin arrestive agent than that of incomplete cooking with sericin agglutinating agent. 3. Reeling of cocoon A) When the temperature of reeling bath was 25-45$^{\circ}C$, the results of cohesion test were much better, but at the temperature below 25$^{\circ}C$ or above 45$^{\circ}C$, the results became worse. B) With out the process of croissieur, the results of cohesion were too bad, but in case of croissieur more than 1cm, cohesion became better rapidly. Further more, we understood that the results of cohesion were improving slightly with longer length of croissieur. C) When the velocity of reeling was increased, the results of cohesion also improved. The best results were shown when reeling velocity was 180-220 r.p.m. But when the velocity was increased more than 220 r.p.m., the results of cohesion got worse more or less. D) When the temperature of the drying pipe in reeling machine was raised, the results of cohesion also showed a tendency to improve. 4. Re-reeling A) We could net reach a conclusion as to have correlation between the number of dipping repeat in vacuum tank and the results of cohesion before re-reeling process. B) When we used Seracol 500 as an agglutination protective agent with l/1000 to l/2000 of water, the results of cohesion test were better. C) When we used Pearl-lite as an agglutination protective agent with 1/1000 to 1/2000 of water, the results of cohesion were considerably better. D) We gained tile best results when used Cohesion Improving Chemical, A-80, with 500-1500 times diluted. 1) Results of cohesion was improved when humidity was low or temperature was high in the rereeling machine. 5. Filature water A) The water pH near the isoelectric point of protein showed the best cohesion, but the farther water pH, the worser results were obtained. B) With the increasing of M-alkalinity in filature water, the results of cohesion were worse. Above all, we understood the tendency of the results of cohesion get worse when the M-alkalinity is increased above 200 ppm. C) By increasing the total hardness of the filature water, it improved the results of cohesion. Especially, when the total hardness was above 300ppm, the results were extremely high. 6. Effects combination of each results A) The result of effects combination in filature processes with the obtained best conditions was distinctively improved. But the results could not reach in mathematicaly double effect. When reelied under worse conditions, the results of cohesion test were too bad. There was "effect limit" for the promotion. B) Generally the results of cohesion were bad when the filature conditions(the temperature, pressure and the properties of water, etc) are processed as sericin loss to be high. On the other hand, the results were very good when lower sericin loss was controlled in filature conditions. C) When filature conditions such as reeling velocity and croissieur length provide pysical cohesion ability and when raw silk dry fast during reeling and re-reeling, we found the result of cohesion was better. 7. Correlation of silk testing items. A) A negative correlation exists between the results of cohesion test and cleanness defect. Another word, the result of cohesion test was found to be worse as cleanness defect increased. B) In cleanness, cohesion has negative correlation against the number of slugs, but we could not find any correlation against long loops, loose ends. C) Cohesion has negative correlation against average neatness and low neatness defect. The better the results of neatness respectively, the better the results of cohesion found. D) There is no correlation between tenacity and the results of cohesion test, but there was high positive correlation between the results of elongation and those of cohesion test. The more elongation, the better the results of cohesion was found.