Abstract
Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), the giant mealworm beetle, is known as an edible insect containing a high protein content which may serve as new sources of human food and animal feed. However, potential toxicity and food safety analyses of Z. atratus have not been previously investigated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate toxicity of freeze-dried skimmed powder of Z. atratus larvae (frpfdZAL), known as the super mealworm. Toxicological assessments were performed at the doses of 1250, 2500, and 5000 mg/kg/day in a 2- and a 13-week oral repeated-dose toxicity study of frpfdZAL in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats in accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). No toxicological changes in clinical signs, body weights, water and food consumption, urinalysis, hematology, clinical biochemistry, gross findings, and histopathological examinations were observed. In conclusion, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of frpfdZAL was 5000 mg/kg/day and target organ was not identified in both sexes of rats. In addition, frpfdZAL did not induce increases of serum ImmunoglobulinE (IgE), an identifier of allergic reactions in rats. Collectively, these results suggest that frpfdZAL is safe with no adverse effects, and able to be applied as an edible ingredient or other biological uses.
Highlights
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been addressing topics related to edible insects since 2003 [1]
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) significantly increased in females at 2500 mg/kg/day (p < 0.05), and total protein (TP) and ALB significantly decreased in females at 5000 mg/kg/day (p < 0.01) in the clinical biochemistry tests
GLU, glucose; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; CREA, creatinine; TP, total protein; ALB, albumin; A/G, albumin/globulin ratio; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, aminotransferase; ALP, Alkaline phosphatase; CK, creatine kinase; TCHO, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; total bilirubin (TBIL), Total bilirubin. */** Significant difference at p < 0.05/p < 0.01 levels compared to the vehicle control
Summary
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been addressing topics related to edible insects since 2003 [1]. As a new source of protein or an alternative to animal proteins, insects have several advantages such as environmental sustainability, short life cycles, and ease of handling and growing [2,3,4]. In Europe and the United States, the list of industries seeking to use edible insects in the development of alternative foods and new drugs is growing rapidly [7]. There is a new technology to develop new foods through the method of using processed insect proteins [8]. Despite the utilization of edible insects having many advantages, the absence of an overall system, such as standardization and quality control of edible insects and government regulations guaranteeing
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