[Nutritional and biological value of Hermetia illucens larvae biomass]

Abstract

Recent years a worldwide interest in the use of alternative sources of protein, in particular, protein from insects, has increased. Edible insects for thousands of years have been a part of the human diet in Asian-Pacific region and South America, while in the European Union, the USA and Canada the use of insects for food purposes is a modern trend that is determined by the care of the environment, global warming combating, etc. Thus, the legal rules governing the food use of insects have significant differences among countries. In the Eurasian Economic Union requirements to food are regulated by the Customs Union Technical Regulations. Since none of the Technical Regulations contains the name of such food as "products obtained with the use of insects", these products may be classified as "food products of novel type" which are subjected to state registration. Fundamental and applied research should be conducted as a part of this novel food safety assessment system, that include the determination of nutritional and biological value of food raw materials derived from insects, and toxicological, reprotoxicological, allergological experiments in vivo on several generations of laboratory animals. The aim of the research was studying and comparing the nutritional and biological values of Hermetia illucens larvae dry biomass and basic foodstuffs of animal and plant origin. Material and methods. Nutritional and biological value analysis of H. illucens minced dry larvae biomass, dried at 110-120 °C, was carried out on 83 indicators, which included determination of protein content and amino acid composition, determination of fat level and fatty acid composition, determination of the content of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, ash and moisture. Results. A study of the nutritional value of dry larvae biomass showed high levels of protein and fat (39 and 38%, respectively), while ash, dietary fiber and carbohydrate accounted for less than 20%. The amino acid profile had a balanced content of essential amino acids and was comparable to the protein of a hen's egg, as well as other animal products. The fatty acid composition of the biomass was characterized by a relatively high content of lauric acid (39.9% of the total fatty acid content), also found in some fruits and seeds of tropical plants; the ratio of other acids was more consistent with the fatty acid profile of fish oil. The dry larvae biomass contained carotenoids (0.23 mg/100 g), tocopherol (3.1 mg/100 g) and thiamine (53 μg/100 g) in amounts significantly lower to those of foods, which traditionally are sources of these vitamins. Based on the analysis of the mineral composition, the H. illucens biomass can be attributed to the sources of calcium, iron, copper and chromium. In terms of the content of the above elements, as well as magnesium and zinc, dry biomass significantly exceed the main food products of animal origin (beef, eggs, fish and seafood), and in terms of the content of potassium and phosphorus, it was comparable to them. Conclusion. The results of dry larvae biomass comparative evaluation with the basic foodstuffs of animal and plant origin evidence to its high nutritional and biological value, allowing to consider H. illucens as a promising source of complete protein, lauric acid, minerals and trace elements.

Keywords: Black soldier fly; Hermetia illucens; alternative sources of food protein; insect biomass; non-traditional sources of food raw materials; novel food.