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Edible insects are high value alternative protein sources, exhibiting high quality nutrient compositions along with potentially health-promoting constituents. Insects are rich in protein (35–61%), lipids (13–33%) and also contain a significant amount of ‘animal’ fiber in form of insoluble chitin. Apart from macronutrients, some insects are also known for their rich minerals and vitamins profiles. However, the nutrient compositions vary with species, diet, developmental stage, sex and the growth environment of insects. Bioavailability and bioaccessibility of insect nutrients are sparsely researched topics, while most of the studies focus on nutrient content and characterization. Similar to any other food, the type of preparation and processing has a significant effect on the amount of bioaccessible nutrients. This article provides an overview of the bioavailability of nutrients present in insects and the factors affecting their variability. Further, the gaps in research studies and scope for future research are also briefly discussed.

Spent silkworm pupa is a valuable source of alternative protein in poultry production. Usually the spent silkworm pupae are wasted and may cause environmental pollution and off smell. This feeding experiment was performed to determine the gradual increase of silkworm substitution of soybean on the egg production performance, serum biochemistry and intestinal histological features of White Leghorns laying hens. For this purpose, a total of 250 White Leghorn laying hens were allocated to five experimental treatments. Rations were prepared in which soybean meal was replaced with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% substitution with silkworm meal. The outcomes of the study indicated that performance was not significantly (P .05) different among the experimental groups. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotrasferase (ALT), uric acid and creatinin concentration did not significantly (P .05) alter among the groups during the experimental period. Similarly, height and thickness of intestinal villi, surface of intestinal villi, number of goblet cells did not change between the control and experimental groups. It was concluded that substitution of silkworm meal with soybean meal had no hostile effect on production performance, intestinal histomorphology and blood biochemical functions of liver and kidney in White Leghorn hens.

This study explored the possibility of replacing skimmed milk – a core ingredient of High-energy biscuit (HEB), with edible-insects as inexpensive and sustainable alternative sources. HEB was formulated to meet the USAID 2016 (STD) nutritional standards and powdered locust and mulberry silkworm pupae (LP and SWP) at 15% inclusion, were used as alternative protein sources. Preliminary nutrients composition of the insect powders were examined. Physicochemical, sensory and microbial qualities of insect-enriched biscuits (LPB and SWPB) were evaluated and compared with that of skimmed milk (SMB) and STD. Spread ratios of the biscuits were between 7.8 and 11.6 – a technically acceptable range for biscuits. SWP possessed impressive amounts of protein (60.7 g/100 g), fat (23.5 g/100 g) and energy contents (498.93 kcal/100 g), while LP had slightly more fibre (1.4 g/100 g), ash (2.1 g/100 g) and carbohydrate (31.5 g/100 g). LPB and SWPB had relatively similar proximate compositions as SMB with slight variations, and all the HEBs were above USAID minimum standard. SWPB was marginally below requirements for Ca and Mg minerals, but both (SWPB and LPB) had more than twice the recommended pro-vitamin A (918.44 and 957.65 µg/100 g) and vitamin C contents (102.17 and 98.51 mg/100 g). All the samples received reasonably good sensorial rankings; but SMB’s aroma was preferred. Similarly, microbial quality assessment of the products reflected remarkable hygienic sample preparation. These results demonstrated that HEB of significant nutritional, sensorial and microbial qualities could be developed using edible-insects as alternative protein sources.

Driven by current climate discussions, the search for alternatives to animal proteins has been intensified in recent years. Although soy and wheat proteins have long had an important share of the protein market, other protein ingredients are gradually becoming available for food purposes. This review provides a concise overview of publications (mainly from the past two years) dealing with alternative protein sources from plants and fungi, along with their nutritional, physico-chemical and sensory characteristics. It shows advantages and disadvantages of the individual raw materials with regard to protein production as well as food uses and provides an estimation of whether these proteins are suitable for economic implementation in the near future.

Research on the environmental sustainability and nutrient conversion efficiency of bioconversion technologies applied in waste-to-protein pathways is relevant from an early development stage on to identify optimal applications. This review summarizes the recent advances and remaining issues in this emerging research field. While black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have been intensively studied, various other technologies such as other insect species, bacteria, fungi, microalgae, and worms, are currently underrepresented. Regarding environmental sustainability, which is mainly studied through life cycle assessment, the choice of functional unit is highly relevant for overall outcomes and comparability. Additionally, decisions on the burden of input materials and process substitution strongly influence the overall results. Substrates composed of different residual biomass streams strongly influence the process efficiency of BSFL, which is commonly expressed in feed conversion and protein efficiency rates. In contrast, residual biomass type, protein content, and amino acid profile are of minor importance for the protein composition of BSFL. Overall, the large variability of residual biomass types and bioconversion technologies necessitates better methodological alignment to produce comparable results across studies that collectively support decision-making., Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 41

Sensory experiences of plant-based (PB) food alternatives play a crucial role in the acceptance and, thus, growth of this market. To facilitate improvements and to better direct the PB food product development, it is important to identify potential gaps in consumers' sensory-based cognition between currently available and their ideal version of PB food and beverage alternatives. Sensory benchmarking of PB alternatives to chicken, beef, semi-hard cheese, cream cheese, yoghurt and milk was studied via (part 1) a sensory vocabulary development and, subsequently, (part 2) an online survey (n = 416–1829) in Central, Western and Northern European countries using the rapid sensory descriptive method Rate-All-That-Apply. For the PB milk and yoghurt categories, consumers demanded only minor sensory modifications, specifically, towards a less beany and sweet taste. In addition, PB milk and yoghurt alternatives received high liking scores (7.1 and 7.0 out of 9, respectively). Lower liking scores were reported for PB semi-hard cheese alternatives (5.3 out of 9). Sensory improvements of PB semi-hard cheese alternatives should be directed towards more cheese-like, less artificial and less bland attributes. For PB beef alternatives, the products in the category should have a more umami taste and beef-like taste and odour. A more chicken-like taste, texture and odour is desired for PB chicken alternatives. A more balanced, cheesier, less artificial taste and odour is desired for cream cheese alternatives. These findings provide strategic insights to direct the product development of PB food alternatives, which constitutes a pathway for creating new market opportunities considering consumer demand and sensory preferences.

Background Fake meat industry is expected to grow and to be worth $140 billion by 2030. Alternative protein can be produced by plant or microbe. Animal-free dairy protein can be produced by fermentation in microflora. Scope and approach In order to improve the real production, many companies are focusing on fermentation for animal-free meat, eggs, and dairy respectively. Key findings and conclusions However, their production capabilities, efficiencies, and costs are not available in public respectively. This paper reports briefly what is going on in sustainable protein alternatives.

SUMMARY: An experiment was done using 160 Hi-sex Brown laying hens to investigate the effect of different levels of dietary faba bean (FB) with or without enzyme cocktail supplements on productive performance, egg quality, and blood metabolites. The experimental diets composed of 5 levels of FB at 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, or 100% instead of soybean meal and 2 levels of enzyme cocktail (Gallazyme) 0 or 250 mg/kg diet. Feed, protein, and metabolizable energy intakes were significantly decreased with the increasing FB in laying hen diets (P < 0.001). The highest values of egg laying rate, egg output, and feed efficiency were observed by 25% FB, and the lowest with 75 and 100% FB (P < 0.001). No significant variation was reported in hen performance with or without enzyme cocktail except the egg weight was affected by the interaction effect (P < 0.05). Egg solids, total protein, total lipid, crude ash, and organic matter were affected by dietary FB inclusion (P < 0.05). Serum albumin (P < 0.035) and ammonia (P < 0.01) were affected by dietary FB, whereas blood proteins, calcium, and phosphorus were not (P < 0.05). Blood ammonia was numerically decreased by 22.22% with enzyme supplementation. Triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol were affected by dietary FB, whereas total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were not (P < 0.05). In conclusion, FB can be added to the laying hen diets at less than of 50% instead of soybean meal, supplemented with Gallazyme in order to improve performance traits.

Background Macroalgae are a natural source of valuable compounds for different applications. Despite the high protein content (up to 47%) and complete essential amino acid profile in some species, their protein fraction is still relatively underexplored. Besides the potential as alternative protein sources, macroalgae can also provide bioactive peptides and other proteinaceous compounds with biological value. Scope and approach In this review, data associated with macroalgal nitrogenous components, particularly peptides and protein hydrolysates, are presented and discussed, especially regarding their potential health properties and methodologies employed to obtain and isolate them. Key findings and conclusions Obtaining these compounds and assessing their biological activities involves a combination of preparation and analytical steps (e.g. isolation, purification, detection and quantification). Hydrolysis of macroalgal proteins using different proteinases generates multiple peptides with a broad range of biological activities. Further research and innovation will allow the development of more efficient production processes and will improve the range of applications. Current scientific evidences regarding the potential health benefits of macroalgae-derived proteinaceous compounds highlight the need of additional investments to effectively transfer promising findings into market driven opportunities.

Cottonseed meal (CSM), an oil industry by-product, is an attractive alternative protein source in poultry diets. To investigate the effects of CSM on growth performance, small intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, and serum biochemical parameters of geese, a total of 300 healthy, 28-day-old, male Jiangnan geese were randomly divided into 5 treatments, with 6 pens of 10 geese each. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric experimental diets were formulated to produce diets in which 0% (control), 25% (CSM25), 50% (CSM50), 75% (CSM75), and 100% (CSM100) of protein from soybean meal was replaced by CSM (corresponding to 0, 6.73, 13.46, 20.18, and 26.91% CSM in the feed, respectively). At 28, 42, and 70 d, BW and feed intake for each pen were measured. Blood, small intestine, and chyme samples were collected at 70 d. The results showed that dietary 13.46% CSM or more decreased BW at 42 d and ADG from 28 to 42 d but increased the feed/gain ratio (F/G) from 28 to 42 d (P0.05). From 42 to 70 d, geese in the CSM groups had higher ADFI and ADG than those of the control group (P0.05). Geese in the CSM75 and CSM100 groups had a higher ADG from 28 to 70 d and BW at 70 d and a lower F/G from 42 to 70 d than those of the control group (P0.05). Dietary 6.73% CSM also improved ADFI from 28 to 70 d (P0.05). Compared to the control, geese in the CSM groups had decreased pepsin and lipase activities, and those in the CSM25, CSM50, and CSM75 groups had increased villus height in the jejunum at 70 d (P0.05). All groups had similar concentrations of total protein, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, and phosphorus in serum (P0.05). In conclusion, excessive use of CSM (6.73%) decreased growth performance at an early age (28 to 42 d) in geese, whereas 6.73 to 26.91% CSM in feed improved growth performance from 28 to 70 d.

This paper proposes a transition framework for restoring a healthy and sustainable balance in protein consumption in high-meat eating countries. The transition aims to reduce total protein intake as well as the dietary ratio of animal over plant protein (from 60:40 via 50:50 to 40:60), which will require changes in consumer food choice processes at the levels of diets, dishes and dish ingredients. The paper describes the background and the potential use in strategy development of the proposed DDDI (diets, dishes, dish ingredients) framework, building on existing literature. The material is integrated in a novel manner, with a key role for two dish-oriented strategies as links between national dietary guidelines, on the one hand, and product-oriented marketing approaches, on the other hand. The first strategy is promoting a varied dish pattern that includes at least some dishes with alternative protein ingredients, chosen for reasons of either meatiness, authenticity or convenience. The second strategy involves promoting a shift to mixed dishes in which part of the protein is of animal origin and the rest of plant origin. Additional complimentary strategies will be necessary to address high incomes (for sustainability) and low incomes (for health).

Background Insects have recently been identified as a more sustainable protein-dense food source and may represent a viable alternative to conventional animal-derived proteins. Objectives We aimed to compare the impacts of ingesting lesser mealworm– and milk-derived protein on protein digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics, postprandial skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates, and the incorporation of dietary protein–derived amino acids into de novo muscle protein at rest and during recovery from exercise in vivo in humans. Methods In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, 24 healthy, young men ingested 30 g specifically produced, intrinsically l-[1-13C]-phenylalanine and l-[1-13C]-leucine labeled lesser mealworm– or milk-derived protein after a unilateral bout of resistance-type exercise. Primed continuous l-[ring-2H5]-phenylalanine, l-[ring-3,5-2H2]-tyrosine, and l-[1-13C]-leucine infusions were applied, with frequent collection of blood and muscle tissue samples. Results A total of 73% ± 7% and 77% ± 7% of the lesser mealworm and milk protein–derived phenylalanine was released into the circulation during the 5 h postprandial period, respectively, with no significant differences between groups (P 0.05). Incorporation of mealworm and milk protein-derived l-[1-13C]-phenylalanine into de novo muscle protein was greater after exercise than at rest (P 0.05). Conclusions Ingestion of a meal-like amount of lesser mealworm–derived protein is followed by rapid protein digestion and amino acid absorption and increases muscle protein synthesis rates both at rest and during recovery from exercise. The postprandial protein handling of lesser mealworm does not differ from ingesting an equivalent amount of milk protein concentrate in vivo in humans. This trial was registered at www.trialregister.nl as NL6897.

Preparation of a protein sample for solid-state NMR is in many aspects similar to solution-state NMR approaches, mainly with respect to the need for stable isotope labeling. But the possibility of using solid-state NMR to investigate membrane proteins in (native) lipids adds the important requirement of adapted membrane-reconstitution schemes. Also, dynamic nuclear polarization and paramagnetic NMR in solids need specific schemes using metal ions and radicals. Sample sedimentation has enabled structural investigations of objects inaccessible to other structural techniques, but rotor filling using sedimentation has become increasingly complex with smaller and smaller rotors, as needed for higher and higher magic-angle spinning (MAS) frequencies. Furthermore, solid-state NMR can investigate very large proteins and their complexes without the concomitant increase in line widths, motivating the use of selective labeling and unlabeling strategies, as well as segmental labeling, to decongest spectra. The possibility of investigating sub-milligram amounts of protein today using advanced fast MAS techniques enables alternative protein synthesis schemes such as cell-free expression. Here we review these specific aspects of solid-state NMR sample preparation.

Due to a rising demand for proteins, food industry is considering new alternative protein sources that can be used for human food. The aim of this research was to explore the potential use of insects' flour as protein-rich ingredient for bakery products. Hermetia illucens, Acheta domestica and Tenebrio molitor were ground and used to replace 5% wheat flour in doughs and breads. The protein content of the insect flours ranged from 45% to 57% (d.m.) and fat content from 27% to 36% (d.m.). The inclusion of insects' flour affected the rheological properties (water absorption and stability), of dough during mixing, having less water adsorption. Breadmaking process could be carried out with all the composite flours. Breads containing A. domestica flour showed similar specific volume and texture parameters than wheat bread, but with higher content of proteins and fibers. Globally, results confirmed the usefulness of insects' flour for making breads with improved nutritional value., Financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project AGL2014-52928-C2-1-R), Generalitat Valenciana (Project Prometeo 2017/189), and the European Regional Development Fund.

SUMMARY Apart from soybean meal, alternative sources of protein are a long-term concern facing commercial broiler producers. These alternative protein sources must be rich in protein, have a balanced amino acid profile, be highly digestible, be nutritionally safe for the bird, and ideally contain some other intrinsic value. Spirulina platensis is a microalgae that is growing in popularity due to its high protein level, health benefits, and environmental impact. Two experiments (in female and male Ross 708 broilers) were conducted to determine the effect of Spirulina inclusion in reduced crude protein diets on broiler growth, carcass yields, breast fillet color, breast myopathy, and footpad quality. The results showed that lowering crude protein impaired carcass yield in both experiments, while hindering growth performance more in male birds than female birds. Spirulina inclusion at 10% in a reduced protein diet improved footpad score in male broilers and increased meat and skin pigmentation in all birds. The inclusion of Spirulina into a commercial setting will always be driven by costs, but this study aids in expanding fundamental research to make that possible.

Background Consuming insects as an alternative protein source is considered a future trend and a viable strategy that could potentially contribute to global food security. Insects are a non-conventional source of protein, either for human consumption directly or indirectly as a component in recomposed foods or added to feedstock mixtures. Moreover, these proteins have demonstrated a broad range of applications as peptides with antihypertensive, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. However, aspects such as food safety and processing of these proteins need further studies for their elucidation and optimization. Scope and approach In this review, aspects of nutritional value and risks of insect consumption are reported. Additionally, conventional processing techniques and recent advances in insect protein extraction and production are presented. The application of bioactive peptides obtained from insect protein hydrolysates is reported, focusing on their potential antihypertensive, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Key findings and conclusions Insect proteins have great advantages in terms of nutritional value, total protein level and amino acid profile. However, some safety concerns must be taken into consideration in large-scale production. The conventional processing of insects proteins is very particular, depending on several aspects such as species, larval stage, and cultivation, among others. Nonetheless, recent advances in insect protein production via enzymatic hydrolysis and heterologous expression have shown a promising technology for the study and exploitation of their bioactive properties, such as the antimicrobial, antioxidant and antihypertensive (inhibition of ACE) activity of insect peptides.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a potential source for food protein, being rich in the soluble protein ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). Redox enzymes hinder the purification of plant proteins by oxidizing polyphenols, instigating enzymatic browning, and forming quinoproteins. In this study, it was hypothesized that such reactions can be inhibited by addition of sodium sulfite during purification. The addition of sodium sulfite at concentrations of 10 and 25 mmol/L improved the color and total phenolic content of the alfalfa juice, and decreased quinoprotein formation in both alfalfa juice and concentrates. Furthermore, the sulfite-treated juice samples showed darker RuBisCO bands in both SDS-PAGE (55 and 15 kDa) and Blue Native-PAGE (∼550 kDa) analyses, compared to control samples, indicating higher solubility of the native protein. However, the addition of sodium sulfite decreased the solubility of the protein concentrate at neutral pH, as assessed by both total nitrogen and Lowry assays. The reduced solubility was attributed to the insolubility of RuBisCO subunits after processing, which is likely due to the formation of disulfide bridges and hydrophobic interaction of the proteins. This work demonstrates the importance of controlling polyphenol oxidation and aggregation behavior of RuBisCO during purification, in order to provide high quality protein ingredients.

Meat demand and production is increasing on a global scale. Soy cultivation for feed is associated with negative external environmental effects such as deforestation, transportation of soy over long distances as well as land competition between feed and food. The need for alternative protein sources in animal feeding is therefore very obvious. However, the establishment of alternative protein sources as feed will only succeed if consumers are aware of present feeding practices and if they are willing to buy meat produced with alternative protein sources. This study analyses consumer knowledge on protein sources in animal feeding and the likelihood of consumers being willing to try pork and poultry that has been produced using insects or micro-algae in the feeding regime by means of univariate analyses as well as structural equation modelling. The results show that especially in the case of pigs, consumer knowledge on feeding in commercial farms can be considered to be low. Structural equation models reveal that consumers’ willingness to buy meat that was produced with insects as alternative protein sources depends on attitudes towards product introduction and in the case of poultry also on social norms. The results contribute to carry out further studies on feeding livestock with alternative proteins. However, a limitation of the paper is that the consumer acceptance of alternative feed was only analysed in a hypothetical setting. The results are promising for the introduction of pork and poultry products based on alternative protein sources.

Worksite cafeterias are compelling venues to improve diet quality through environmental changes. We conducted a pre-post study to evaluate how a cafeteria-initiated grill menu redesign influenced sales, revenue, and nutrient content of foods purchased. Secondly, we evaluated consumer opinions about menu changes to inform practices for worksite environment interventions. Monthly sales data (2012–2015) were used to compute gross sales and revenue of entrées and side dishes pre-post menu changes. Alternative protein sources replaced red meat; nutrient composition and nutrients purchased were compared using Food Pro software. Consumer responses were queried using online surveys; open-ended responses were analyzed using NVivo. Differences in sales and nutrient content pre-post menu redesign were tested with Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Gross sales of entrées (61 vs. 222 servings/month; p = 0.01) and side dishes (120 vs. 365 servings/month; p = 0.001) increased more than three-fold post-menu changes. Revenue from entrées (312 vs. 1144 USD/month; p = 0.01) and side dishes (238 vs. 914 USD/month; p = 0.001) also increased; per entrée, consumers purchased significantly more unsaturated fat (5 g), and less saturated fat (3 g) and sodium (100 mg). For side dishes, they purchased fewer calories (48 kcal) and unsaturated fat (2.9 g), but more fiber (1.8 g), and sodium (260 mg). Four themes emerged from consumer responses: the importance of 1) variety, novelty, choice; 2) cost, affordability, value; 3) health; and 4) food quality, taste. Menu redesign can improve nutrient content, while also increasing sales and revenue. Multi-dimensional assessment of the nutritional, consumer, and retailer implications is desirable practice for enacting similar environmental changes., Highlights • Redesigning menus may improve nutrient content and promote sales. • Consumers value variety even when well-liked offerings are available. • Sodium use requires scrutiny when redesigning menu items.

The demand and cost of animal-based protein sources for broiler chickens production like fish meal has increased in many countries. An alternative protein source can be earthworm meal (EWM). A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing broiler chickens diets with EWM derived from dried Eudrilus eugeniae on growth performance, carcass attributes, and the meat quality of broiler chickens. The starter and finisher basal diets were formulated to contain 10% fish meal and it was replaced with 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7% EWM. For the experiment, 150 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to the 5 diets with 3 pens per diet and 10 broiler chickens per pen. Based on the data recorded in the experiment, the body weight gain (BWG), and the feed intake (FI) were computed. At 6 wk of age, 3 broiler chickens were randomly selected from each pen to assess their organ weights and sensory characteristics. Overall, there was a quadratic and cubic effect on BWG when EWM supplementation was increased (P

•The importance of accurate estimates of IAA requirements for aquaculture species has become increasingly important due to replacing fishmeal with alternative protein feedstuffs.•Tryptophan is the third most limiting amino acid in plant protein feedstuffs used in aquaculture diets.•The minimum dietary tryptophan requirement of red drum was determined to be 0.28±0.05% of dry diet (0.80% of dietary protein).

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of using gelatin as a partial protein source and protease in broilers diets. The experiment was carried out as a factorial arrangement, containing two levels of protease (0 and 200 gs per ton of diet) and four levels of gelatin (0, 2.82, 4.23 and 5.64% of the diet replacing 12.5, 18.75 and 25% of the SBM protein, respectively) with 6 replicates and 15 chicks in each pen. Body weight, feed intake and FCR were measured at day 7, 21 and 35. Ileal digesta viscosity, ileal morphology and ileal coliform and lactobacilli population were measured at day 35. In addition, apparent protein digestibility was determined between 28 and 35 days of age. Results show that the highest inclusion rate of gelatin decreased body weight and feed intake (P

Edible insects have been promoted as an alternative sustainable source of protein, however many are still unwilling to eat insects due to the perceived disgust and neophobia. In light of the growing demand for alternative protein sources, this study examined edible insects. Tactile stimuli with food have been demonstrated to be an alternative strategy to reduce children’s natural neophobic reactions. The present study aims to examine the potential of tactile interactions in the form of a cooking activity to introduce edible insects to children. To this purpose, two types of insects (grasshopper and mealworm) were incorporated into a traditional Danish snack (oatmeal balls). Children (n = 148) tasted and evaluated the food that was either self-prepared or other-prepared. Tasting order and type of insect had significant effects on the hedonic response. The insect oatmeal balls were rated higher in the first tasting compared to the second. The mealworm version of the oatmeal balls received higher hedonic ratings than the grasshopper version. This we propose, is caused by different degrees of ‘animalness’ of the two insects. The cooking activity did not have a significant effect on children's hedonic response to the insect oatmeal balls.

When studying perceptions of eating insects among new consumer groups, the focus is often on factors that make people avoid novel foods. In order to switch perspective and broaden the understanding of drivers for choosing insects as food, this pilot study aimed to explore the reasons for eating insects among Swedish adults with an interest in entomophagy. Data were collected via a questionnaire combined with workshop discussions. The study highlighted how concerns about “the environment” and “health”, and a willingness to try something “exciting” were the three main reasons for choosing insects as an alternative protein source.

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is currently being increasingly researched for its usability and suitability in human nutrition. The inclusion of alternative protein sources, such as spirulina, in familiar products is a possible strategy to nudge consumers towards dietary change in Western societies. Filled pasta variants with three levels of spirulina-soy-extrudate in the filling (10%, 30% or 50%) were developed and investigated for their sensory characteristics and consumer liking. Recipe development was based on the concepts of flavor-flavor learning (beet-ginger or tomato) and masking (lemon-basil) to account for the musty and earthy notes of the alga. Consumer tests were conducted in Germany (n = 139), the Netherlands (n = 137) and France (n = 144), and conventional sensory profiling was accomplished with trained panelists (n = 12). Consumers preferred the lemon-basil flavor over tomato and beet-ginger flavored fillings. As expected, liking decreased with increased extrudate content, regardless of the flavor. For all flavors expected liking was higher than liking after product exposure; for the lemon-basil flavor the gap was the smallest. It was shown that low general food neophobia and familiarity with spirulina promoted consumer liking. The sensory profiling revealed that the spirulina-soy-extrudate content affected all sensory attributes identified across all flavors, but for the tomato flavor the most. Overall, this study confirms that it is important to consider differences in consumer motivation as well as the product’s conceptual and intrinsic sensory characteristics in new product development.

The search for alternative food sources especially protein to meet the nutritional demand of the projected 9 billion world population by 2050 is now critical. Edible insect is an alternative source of protein in many African and Asian cuisines where beef, pork and chicken are perceived to be relatively expensive. The current study evaluates Mulberry Silkworm Pupae (MSP) and African Palm Weevil larvae (APW) as substitute to the mainstream proteins in snacks fillings, and also assessing the consumer acceptability of the new products. The chemical composition showed that MSP is higher in protein and soluble fibre contents while APW is higher in crude fat, crude fibre, zinc, manganese and calcium contents. The cooked edible insects were rich in both essential and non-essential amino acids. When used as fillings for snacks, the protein content of the snacks produced with APW and MSP compared favourably well with the snacks produced with beef fillings. The fat contents of the snacks were 18 % lower than those of snacks made with beef fillings. The mineral contents of the snack with APW were significantly higher than the other samples. There was no significant difference in the taste and overall acceptability of samosa snack produced with beef, APW and MSP. African palm weevil larvae and Mulberry silkworm pupae could serve as alternative sources of protein in the production of snacks and cuisines, and a viable source of income generation., Food science, Edible insects, Pie, Samosa, Chemical composition, Consumer acceptability.

Experiments were carried out to evaluate efficiency of Labeo rohita to utilize fermented animal protein blend containing slaughter house blood (SHB) and fish offal (FO) as dietary fishmeal (FM) replacer. Five isoproteic (30%), isolipidic (8%) and isoenergitic (15.00 kJ g−1) feed were prepared by replacing 0 (T1), 25 (T2), 50 (T3), 75 (T4) and 100% (T5) FM protein with the fermented blend and fingerlings of L. rohita (mean weight 2.07 g) were fed each of these feed in triplicate groups. The results showed that apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of protein significantly increased in T3–T5, while ADC of lipid and total amino acid absorption rate increased in T2–T5 as compared to control (T1). Among the essential amino acids (EAA), arginine exhibited maximum absorption followed by histidine, phenylalanine, valine and lysine while aspartic acid showed a high absorption among the non-essential amino acids (NAA). Fish fed up to 75% of replacement level (T4) did not show any significant difference (P

Insects are considered a promising alternative protein source for food and feed, but contain significant amounts of chitin, often undesirable due to indigestibility, disagreeable texture and negative effect on nutrients intake. Fractionation strategies are thus increasingly being applied to isolate and valorize chitin separately. The analysis of chitin generally requires an intensive pretreatment to remove impurities, and derivatization to generate sufficient detector response. In this work, a liquid chromatography method, without pretreatment nor derivatization, was developed for the simultaneous determination of chitin content and degree of acetylation in non-purified samples of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. The method is found to be more suitable, compared to traditional methods, for assessing high degrees of acetylation. For the first time, the degree of acetylation of BSF chitin (81 ± 2%) is reported. Additionally, the chitin content of BSF soft tissues is estimated at approximately 20% of the total chitin content (8.5 ± 0.1%).

Protein-enriched brown rice flours were developed by fortification of defatted Bombay locust powder (BL) at different levels (10, 20, 30%). The physicochemical characteristics of the mixed flours were then investigated. The application of resulting mixed flour on preparing protein-enriched cake was also studied. The chemical composition, water activity, color as well as rheological property of the resulting mixed flours were varied at different levels of BL added. The protein content of resulting mixed flours was effectively improved, especially at 30% replacement provided almost 4-fold increased (11–42%), compared with control (BRF without BL fortification) (p ≤ 0.05). Protein-enriched cakes prepared using the mixed flours, showed the differences in their physicochemical properties, texture profiles, chemical composition and sensory characteristics, which were influenced by BL fortification level. The 20% replacement of brown rice flour by BL (20-MF) provided a protein-enriched cake (20.8% of protein) with liking score ranged from 7.0 to 7.4 for all attributes tested, indicating the good acceptability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the 20-MF cake revealed that it had a denser structure with the less porosity than the control. Therefore, BL might be a promising alternative protein source for developing protein-enriched flour and baked product, particularly cakes.

Over the past decade, the potential of edible insects as a novel ingredient in high value-added products has been investigated to find alternatives to conventional protein sources that are expensive, over-exploited and harmful to the environment. This review assesses the state of insects as an alternative protein source from production to consumption. More specifically, this review details the conventional procedures related to the production of insect flours as well as insect-derived ingredients such as protein concentrates and isolates. As a source of alternative protein in food ingredient formulations, the available data on the functionalities of edible insect ingredients is also examined and compared to conventional animal- and plant-based protein sources. Finally, the major challenges facing entomophagy in the mainstream food industry are explored. This review highlights the fact that insect proteins can serve as functional ingredients in food preparation. However, additional comparative studies are required to assess the functionality of various insect proteins compared to conventional proteins, regardless of processing method. To be incorporated into large scale industries, more research is needed to optimize processing methods to obtain the best compromise between cost-effectiveness, functionality, tastiness and sustainability, while ensuring consumer safety.

For food and feed safety of edible insects, effective decontamination methods need to be evaluated and developed. Traditional decontamination and preparation methods were reviewed and thermal and innovative inactivation methods for the decontamination of mealworm larvae were evaluated and compared. The impact of the surface decontamination techniques direct and indirect plasma treatment, and of volumetric methods such as high hydrostatic pressure treatment (400, 500, and 600 MPa) and thermal treatments (45 °C and 90 °C) for up to 15 min on the surface microbial load and on the overall microbial count of mealworm larvae ( Tenebrio molitor ) have been investigated. It was found that the indirect plasma treatment was an effective means for the surface decontamination of mealworm larvae, whereas high hydrostatic pressure at 600 MPa and thermal treatments in a water bath at 90 °C in comparison resulted in the highest reduction of the overall count. It is thus concluded that volumetric methods are favorable for the inactivation of the gut microbiota of insects. Industrial relevance Edible insects represent a valuable alternative protein source that could contribute to food and feed security and are industrially mainly unexploited. For a successful marketing of edible insects food and feed safety has to be ensured and effective decontamination methods need to be developed.

One of the current trends in dietary preferences involves the transition to a low- or reduced-meat diet, which is often desirable for health and environmental reasons. This change in dietary preferences requires an in-depth insight into consumers’ preferences towards a variety of alternative/non-meat proteins. This study aimed to investigate the consumers’ preferences and willingness to purchase three alternative dietary protein sources, namely plant-, cultured meat- and insect-based proteins in four countries with dissimilar economic development status (the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil and the Dominican Republic). It also aimed to determine which factors would most influence the willingness to purchase. From a total sample of 729 valid respondents, psychographic variables were analysed. The alternative protein deemed the respondents’ most preferred willing to purchase was the plant-based type since that option tended to be more widely available in the market. Among the analysed economic groups, the countries classified in the higher economic groups tended to show more readiness to replace traditional meats for the three alternatives. Models suggest that the respondents regarded the alternative characteristics and/or the attributes compared to meat as being the most important factors that influence their willingness to purchase rather than environmental, convenience or healthy buying decisions, or a low level of neophobia. If the perception of healthiness, safety and nutritiousness increases one-unit for the cultured meat in Brazil, the probability of willingness to purchase would increase 86.82%. One-unit stronger belief in Spanish that plant-based are healthy, safe and nutritious higher the probability of willingness to purchase 68.74%. One-unit higher perceive the characteristics of healthiness, safety and nutritional content of the insects-based products would increase 68% the probability of willingness to purchase in the United Kingdom, 72% in Brazil and 58% in the Dominican Republic.

Gluten elimination in bakery goods is a technological challenge since the absence of gluten generates breads with poor capacity to retain gas during leavening, which can be minimised with the use of gluten-free proteins in combination with hydrocolloids and/or enzymes. Due to the increasing world population and scarce land resources to expand current food production, it is necessary to find alternative and sustainable ways of growing food. This study aimed to characterise cricket (Gryllus assimilis) powder as a new protein source for gluten-free breads in comparison with the use of lentil and buckwheat flours. Cricket powder presented high water and oil holding capacities and appropriate microbiological features for human consumption. Results confirm that the enrichment with cricket powder can lead to the production of gluten-free bread with acceptable technological properties and high protein content. As the addition of cricket powder increases lipid contents, for better nutritional and functional results, the use of oil-free formulations is recommended. Industrial relevance Considering the rising world population and the scarce water and land resources, it is extremely important to find new and sustainable ways to produce food. Edible insects are particularly interesting due to its high protein content and lower environmental impacts compared to traditional livestock. This study evaluated the use of cricket powder as protein source for the production of gluten-free bread in comparison with two other protein sources: buckwheat and lentil flours. Results confirm that the enrichment with cricket powder can lead to the production of gluten free bread with acceptable technological properties and high protein content.

This study investigated the effect of replacing dietary soybean oilcake meal with increasing levels of cottonseed oilcake meal (CSOCM) on the growth performance and meat ( Iliofibularis muscle) chemical composition of ostriches in order to decrease total feed costs. A total of 105 ostriches were divided into five feeding groups according to the CSOCM inclusion level in the whole diet: Control (0% CSOCM), 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% CSOCM (of the whole diet), and fed with experimental diets from 6 to 13 months of age. As a result of feeding CSOCM, the final live weight and the average daily gain significantly increased in the 12% CSOCM group. The proximate composition, cholesterol content, mineral and fatty acid profile of the meat remained unaffected. Thus CSOCM may be used as an alternative protein source to the more expensive soybean oilcake meal in ostrich nutrition.

In an effort to search for better alternatives to cis-platin and its derivatives that are non-selective cytotoxic anticancer agents, many metal based complexes especially that of Ru(II) that will have alternate targets other than universal target such as DNA have been suggested. This paper focus more on finding an alternative protein targets other DNA for some Ru(II)-based complexes using computational docking as a means of addressing commonly reported research challenges with regards to the lack of proper understanding of the anticancer targets of Ru-based complexes. The observed interactions through our docking studies showed that, besides predicted targets such as CatB, HP-NCP and kinase which is in good agreement with experiment since they have been experimentally suggested as possible target of Ru-based anticancer agents, other targets such as RNR and HDAC7 are proposed. Majority of the complexes on the average showed good interactions with rHA which will most likely enhance their pharmacokinetic properties. There is the possibility of some of them acting as anticancer and as antibacterial agent because they bind more favourably with DNA-Gyrase.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have had unprecedented success in controlling vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease. As serotype replacement and the complexity of designing vaccines to multiple capsular polysaccharides ultimately pose a threat to these vaccines, the development of alternative protein vaccines is important. Protein vaccines offer the promise of extended serotype coverage, reduced cost, and improved protection against otitis media and pneumococcal pneumonia. As placebo-controlled trials are not currently ethically justifiable, human pneumococcal challenge models using prevention of carriage as a test endpoint offer an attractive link between preclinical studies and clinical efficacy trials. Experimental human pneumococcal carriage studies offer a means of describing mechanisms of protection against carriage and a clinical tool to choose between vaccine candidates.

Thirty male Merinizzata italiana lambs were divided into three groups after weaning according to live weight. The diet of the three groups differed in the main protein source used in the concentrate, soybean meal for treatment SBM, faba bean for treatment FB and peas for treatment PEA. Lambs were fed ad libitum and slaughtered at about 160 days of age. Meat from the PEA group had higher proportions of the essential fatty acids C18:2 ω-6 and C18:3 ω-3 than from FB and SBM lambs and consequently its derivatives, C20:4 ω-6 and C20:5 ω-3 respectively, were higher in meat from PEA animals, compared to SBM and FB ones. The total n-3 fatty acids were highest in meat from PEA lambs and consequently PEA lambs showed a more favourable n-6/n-3 ratio. In conclusion the use of legume seeds such as peas in lamb diets positively affected intramuscular fatty acid composition.

Objectives Awareness of the considerable incidence of bovine protein allergy in infancy makes it necessary to eliminate cow's milk antigens from the diet in special cases. The primary objective of this review is to discuss the nutritional aspects and appropriate use of hypoallergenic formulas as a substitute for cow's milk formulas and to present new alternative feeding modalities in this field. Data Sources Related articles in PubMed (National Library of Medicine) were reviewed. This review is a synthesis of these sources along with the discussions with experts in this field and the expert opinion of the authors. Results Soy protein-based and hydrolyzed milk protein formulas are the most commonly used alternative protein sources in the case of bovine protein allergy. Despite the adequacy of their nutritional values, there are still some problems to be solved regarding these formulas. In addition, a considerable percentage of the infants with bovine protein allergy may also present allergenic reactions to soy proteins as well as to hydrolyzed milk proteins. Thus, there still exists chaos in the selection of the most appropriate formula for infants sensitized to cow's milk protein. Rice protein-based formulas, probiotics, and prebiotics are expected to be new effective alternatives. Conclusions Bovine protein allergy constitutes an important place in childhood food allergies. Soy protein-based and hydrolyzed protein formulas have some disadvantages and risk of allergenic activity that is not to be underestimated. So, substitution of cow's milk protein with an alternative protein source in sensitized infants has become an art rather than a science. Rice protein, prebiotics, and probiotics appear to be valuable alternatives giving hope for the future.

The tilapia industry has grown significantly. Much waste is generated by the industry due to the fact that only the myomere muscles are removed and sold for human consumption. This portion constitutes approximately 36% of the entire fish, leaving 64% of the fish as waste lost during the various processing operations. This waste from the tilapia processing plant has the potential of being an alternative protein source in broiler rations. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of substituting different levels of tilapia by-product meal (TBM) for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets. For the experiment 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% of the crude protein contributed by SBM in broiler diets was substituted with crude protein from TBM. A control and five levels of TBM were used in a corn-soybean-based diet and fed to chicks from 0 to 42 d of age. Chicks were identified and randomly allocated in a randomized complete block design. Body weight, cumulative feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were determined on a weekly basis. At processing, carcass weights and yields were determined on a prechilled basis. Results showed that chicks fed 10, 20, and 30% TBM had significantly (P < 0.05) higher BW and feed consumption and improved feed conversion from 14 to 28 d of age compared to the other treatments. No significant differences were found for the remaining 35 and 42 d BW, feed consumption, feed conversions, mortalities, or carcass weights or yields for any of the treatments. In conclusion, the results showed that TBM could be used in broiler diets for up to 50% of the crude protein contributed by SBM.

Detection, identification and characterisation of biological material, for example micro-organisms, toxins and viruses, occupy an important position in industrial, medical and environmental analysis. Bioanalytes may be investigated by one of numerous analytical techniques available, however, the recognition principle often utilises either antibodies, an alternative protein recognition principle, or nucleic acid probes. Common techniques include ELISA, surface plasmon resonance and other evanescent wave detectors, flow cytometry, immunofluoresence microscopy, and PCR-based assays. Even though antibodies are the most successfully employed recognition component for identifying bioanalytes, they have a number of intrinsic negative aspects to their application. Up until now however, a suitable alternative has not been identified. Carbohydrate recognition is a mechanism by which a high proportion of biological molecules first come into contact with each other in the process of cellular adhesion. This article will discuss the possibility of using this principle as a biosensor recognition element, and will review the current situation.

Using a linear programming model, this study evaluates the effects of commercializing new biotech-soybean varieties on the livestock producers' feed costs and formulations. Major findings include: (1) development of new alternative soybeans would benefit poultry meat producers more than egg and pig meat producers; (2) new soybean meals would save more feed costs in starter diets than in either grower or finisher diets; and (3) economic advantages of new soybean meals were highly sensitive to the availability of alternative protein sources but less sensitive to changes in ingredient prices.

Proteins can evolve to gain new functionality via mutations that decrease stability, and presumably, increase flexibility. Particularly interesting examples are mutations that modify the hydrophobic core packing and create new functions, e.g. novel ligand binding sites created by cavity-forming mutants. Many core repacking mutants of T4 Lysozyme (T4L) have been characterized, some of which bind non-polar ligands. Overall, the crystal structures of these mutants are very similar to the WT and offer little insight into the mechanism whereby the ligand reaches the cavity. Site-Directed Spin Labeling (SDSL) has been applied to investigate the structural and dynamical response of T4L in solution to 28 core repacking mutations, many of which have known crystal structures. Remarkably, the most common response in the cavity-creating susbtitutions is the appearance of a second conformational substate, with populations as high as 70 %, showing that the cavities allows for an alternative protein fold, at least locally. Osmotic perturbation shows that the conformations are in slow exchange on the EPR time scale. Thus, the cavity mutations excite molecular flexibility, with a characteristic time scale > 100 ns, probably in the μs-ms range. Interspin distance measurements carried out for two of the cavity mutants to study the magnitude and nature of the conformational rearrangement suggest the interesting possibility that the alternative states are also present in the WT protein, but at a different ratio.In some cases, ns backbone modes were also excited by the core mutation, but the effects were subtle. Remarkably, the type and magnitude of the changes in the protein flexibility were not necessarily correlated with the extent of destabilization by the substitution. The relationship of the cavity-excited states to the mechanism of ligand entry is under study.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of soy protein concentrate in combination with potato protein concentrate as alternative protein sources in milk replacers for veal calves. In the feeding trial there were two groups with 24 calves in each group. For the first fattening period the milk replacer for Group 1 (control) contained 60% skim milk powder and 21.8% whey powder. For the second fattening period 56% skim milk powder and 21.2% whey powder were used. The milk replacer for Group 2 (experimental) for the first fattening period contained 30% skim milk powder, 47.3% whey powder and 3% potato protein concentrate. For the second fattening period 59.3% whey powder, 4.5% potato protein concentrate and 11.5% soy protein concentrate were used. Daily weight gain and feed efficiency of Group 1 were 1057 g and 1.60 kg, respectively. For Group 2 they were 1043 g and 1.64 kg, respectively. The digestion results for the milk replacer used for Group 2 in the second fattening period were significantly better concerning nitrogen-free extracts.

One of the ultimate goals of protein nutrition is formulation of high quality and yet cost effective feed with efficient utilization of alternative protein sources. Although the rainbow trout is one of the most popular experimental fish, contradictory results on protein nutrition have been reported by different workers. This review summarizes the progress made in studies on amino acid metabolism, factors affecting protein requirements and alternative protein sources, emphasizing unique aspects of rainbow trout on these subjects. The possible reasons for the discrepancy reported in amino acid requirements of rainbow trout are briefly discussed.

Combination chemotherapy involving (6R,S)-N5-formyltetrahydrofolate and 5-fluorouracil has raised considerable speculation concerning the effects of the unnatural (6R) diastereomer. The inability to obtain quantities of the individual diastereomers has greatly limited work in this area. Commercially available chiral columns, suitable for diastereomer analysis, are inadequate for preparative work. We report here on the use of epoxide-activated media in the construction of a bovine serum albumin-based high-performance liquid chromatography matrix capable of resolving the diastereomers of (6R,S)-N5-formyltetrahydrofolate in milligram quantities. Similar columns based upon alternative protein matrices may prove useful for the resolution of additional materials.

A 56-day feed trial was conducted to investigate the potential of rapeseed meal in practical diets for juvenile tilapias. Six isonitrogenous (38% crude protein) and lipid and carbohydrate balanced diets were formulated. The control diet contained fish and soyabean meals as principal protein sources; these were progressively substituted with rapeseed meal. Fifteen per cent rapeseed meal effectively replaced soyabean meal whilst higher inclusion levels led to progressively poorer feed performance. Levels of glucosinolate in the rapeseed meal were measured and effects on thyroid histology observed. The central colloid regions in thyroid follicles of fish receiving high rapeseed diets were found to be eroded or completely absent from the lumen. This study indicated a practical inclusion limit of 15% rapeseed meal in tilapia feeds. Various approaches towards the possible improvement of the nutritional value of rapeseed meal products for use in fish diets are also discussed.

Food manufacturers are moving towards sustainable, alternative protein sources, which should have the lowest allergy risk possible. Until now, accurate pre-marketing assessment of the allergenicity of new proteins is impossible. Moreover, existing guidance documents are restricted to qualitative assessment, have low predictive value and result often in an oversimplification in terms of hazard assessment. To overcome those limitations, we developeda two-dimensional scale for expressingallergenicity that allows a quantitative hazard characterisation of new proteins. The two dimensions of the scale were defined as (1) the prevalence expressed as the percentage of the general population that has the allergy and (2) the potency of the protein expressed as the ED50 in mg-protein of the allergen (the dose that provokes objective allergic responses in 50% of the allergic persons). Severity of symptoms was not included, since this is a result of the nature of the exposure and the sensitivity of the individual rather than an inherent and independent attribute of the protein. The scale was further developed by ranking 11 allergenic products based on in total 1786 data points on potency and 22 scientific papers on prevalence, selected after a critical review. The resulting 2-dimensional scale can be used to project a new protein on the scale and assess its potential hazard relative to the known allergens. In a next step, we aim to develop a model that predicts the position of a new protein on the scale using its physical, chemical and biological characteristics.

Food manufacturers are moving towards sustainable, alternative protein sources, which should have the lowest allergy risk possible. Until now, accurate pre-marketing assessment of the allergenicity of new proteins is impossible. Moreover, existing guidance documents are restricted to qualitative assessment, have low predictive value and result often in an oversimplification in terms of hazard assessment. To overcome those limitations, we developeda two-dimensional scale for expressingallergenicity that allows a quantitative hazard characterisation of new proteins. The two dimensions of the scale were defined as (1) the prevalence expressed as the percentage of the general population that has the allergy and (2) the potency of the protein expressed as the ED50 in mg-protein of the allergen (the dose that provokes objective allergic responses in 50% of the allergic persons). Severity of symptoms was not included, since this is a result of the nature of the exposure and the sensitivity of the individual rather than an inherent and independent attribute of the protein. The scale was further developed by ranking 11 allergenic products based on in total 1786 data points on potency and 22 scientific papers on prevalence, selected after a critical review. The resulting 2-dimensional scale can be used to project a new protein on the scale and assess its potential hazard relative to the known allergens. In a next step, we aim to develop a model that predicts the position of a new protein on the scale using its physical, chemical and biological characteristics.