Abstract
Edible insects are a food source that has high nutritional value. Domestic silkworm pupae are an important by‐product of sericulture and have a long history as food and feed ingredients in East Asia. Silkworm pupae are a good source of protein, lipids, minerals, and vitamins and are considered a good source of nutrients for humans. Silkworm pupae are a valuable insect source of substances used in healthcare products, medicines, food additives, and animal feed. Because silkworm pupae are being increasingly used in the human diet, potential allergic reactions to the substances they contain must be elucidated. Here, we present an overview of the benefits of silkworm pupae. First, we describe their nutritional value. Second, we report their functional properties and applications, focusing on their potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Finally, we consider the current state of research regarding silkworm pupae‐induced allergies.
Highlights
Demand for sustainable sources of nutrition is increasing
This review describes the nutritional value of silkworm pupae, their functional properties, and potential applications
Silkworm pupae are a good source of calcium and iron (Table 1) and have high potassium content (34.0 mg/g), with a low Na/K ratio (0.08), and high zinc content (36 μg/g) (Zhou & Han, 2006), all of which are important for human health and nutrition
Summary
Demand for sustainable sources of nutrition is increasing. edible insects, which have long formed part of the human diet in Asia, Africa, and Latin America (de Castro et al, 2018), have become a primary focus of scientific research in recent years. KEYWORDS allergen, allergy, food safety, function, insect protein, nutrition, silkworm pupae Silkworm pupae are used as raw materials in the food industry because of their high nutritional value and varied biological activities. A major concern regarding novel sources of protein, including silkworm pupae, is their potential to cause food allergy (Pali-Schöll et al, 2019).
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