Alternative Food Sources Research Articles

Entomophagy practices, use patterns, and factors influencing perception and consumption frequency of edible insects in the Republic of Benin

BackgroundEdible insects are important sources of essential nutrients and have the potential to contribute to malnutrition reduction and food security in the Republic of Benin. However, their consumption is always restricted to a limited number of sociocultural groups. To determine how the consumption of insects could be promoted as an alternative food source, this study documents the endogenous knowledge associated with edible insects and, the main factors that govern their perception and frequency consumption.MethodsA survey was conducted towards 479 rural households consuming edible insects through 91 villages of Atacora, Alibori, Zou, and Plateau departments using individual interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire. The survey was focused on the inventory of edible insects and the documentation of consumers’ acceptance, frequencies and motive reason of consumption, local uses, and accessibility to edible insects. Samples of edible insects were collected and preserved in 70% alcohol for taxonomic identification.ResultsThe majority of surveyed people (79.1%) were consumers of edible insects since many years ago (29.1 ± 17.2 years). Insect species belonging to 17 genera of 7 families and 3 orders of insects were used as food, with Brachytrupes membranaceus Drury being the most widespread and consumed. Six factors affecting edible insect availability were identified with the chemical pollution as the most important. Besides their food use (63.2%), edible insects in the study area were used for several purposes. We find that ethnicity, religion, age, education level, and monthly frequency of insect consumption are the main factors influencing the local perception of edible insects. Indeed ethnic group, religion ethnicity, and market accessibility have a positive influence on edible insect consumption frequency. The Hierarchical Clustering of Principal Components has allowed us to classify the interviewees into 3 groups with different perceptions of entomophagy and their characteristics will make it possible to better orient the strategies for promoting entomophagy in the Republic of Benin.ConclusionsReligion and tradition are among the main factors that influence entomophagy in Benin Republic. The development of a national strategy to promote entomophagy should take into account the recorded insect consumption motivations, and their different uses by each ethnic group, and mainly target young people.

Innovative Applications of Tenebrio molitor Larvae in Food Product Development: A Comprehensive Review.

The utilization of alternative and sustainable food sources has garnered significant interest as a means to address the challenges of food security and environmental sustainability. Tenebrio molitor larvae, commonly known as mealworms, have emerged as a promising candidate in this context, as they are a rich source of nutrients and can be reared with relatively low resource input. This review article presents an in-depth analysis of the diverse range of food products developed using T. molitor larvae and the distinctive properties they bestow on these products. The review encompasses an exploration of the nutritional composition of the larvae, emphasizing their rich protein content, balanced amino acid profile, fatty acids with health benefits, vitamins, and minerals. It delves into how these attributes have been harnessed to enhance the nutritional value of a variety of food items, ranging from protein-rich snacks and energy bars to pasta, bakery goods, etc. Each of these applications is discussed with regard to how T. molitor larvae contribute to the nutritional content and sensory characteristics of the final product. Furthermore, this review sheds light on the innovative techniques and processing methods employed to incorporate T. molitor larvae into different food matrices. It addresses challenges related to taste, texture, and appearance that have been encountered and the strategies devised to overcome related problems. Overall, this comprehensive review elucidates the diverse food products that have been developed utilizing T. molitor larvae as a key ingredient. Highlighting the nutritional, sensory, and sustainability aspects of these products, this review offers valuable insights to harness the potential of this alternative protein source to meet the evolving needs of modern food systems.

Evaluation of Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens as Food for Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle Coleomegilla maculata.

The discovery of new and improved factitious and artificial diets is necessary for cost-effective rearing of predatory arthropods. This study evaluated Hermetia illucens black soldier fly (BSF) as a suitable alternative food source for rearing the predatory coccinellid Coleomegilla maculata (Cmac). The hypothesis that BSF larval powder was suitable food to support the growth, development, and reproduction of Cmac was tested in the laboratory. When compared to a standard in-house diet containing brine shrimp egg powder plus Chlorella vulgaris green algae and myristic acid (BSE+CM), the BSF and BSF+CM diets reduced immature growth and development. Immatures successfully reared to teneral adults were smaller when fed BSF or BSF+CM rather than BSE+CM. Combining BSF with a powdered artificial diet (AD), i.e., BSF+AD, did not improve predator growth or development, compared to Cmac reared on BSE+CM. Cmac oviposition responses, i.e., egg clutch production, to BSF vs. BSE+CM or BSF+AD vs. BSE+CM did not differ significantly. In conclusion, BSF has the potential to be food that supports Cmac oviposition behavior. Future research is necessary to discover an ideal mixture of BSF, BSE+CM, or AD that supports Cmac growth, development, and reproduction over multiple generations.

Dynamical inquest of refuge and bubbling issues in an interacting species system

The ecological framework gains special interest in the dynamical complexity of a system of interacting species influenced by the adventure of prey refuge along with alternative food source for the predator. The work undertaken provides thorough investigation on several recent findings of long time response to stability-instability phenomena of the system, the dynamical deportment including sensitivity of the system parameters and the occurrence of bifurcations of codimension 1 and 2 as well. The bubbling phenomenon, denoting a change in the amplitudes of successive cycles, can be captured in the current two-dimensional (2D) continuous system by selecting appropriate parameter values. Interestingly, the controlling system parameter of bubbling phenomena appears to be the most sensitive one for the proposed model system. The global-in-time trajectories based on the introduction of the concept of outcomes are examined along with the inclusion of fundamental preliminaries. The notable features of the prediction and identification of bifurcations occurring in the dynamical system arising from the onset of instability to the transition to local and global bifurcations appear to be crucial for both the theoretical and field researchers. Based on the choice of a couple of system parameters of significance at a time, the whole parametric space is partitioned into multiple regions. In addition to these, efforts are made to account the number of ecologically feasible equilibria including their dynamical feedback in each region of concern. Various numerical simulations are ventured upon in order to establish the validity of analytical outcomes in general and the applicability of model system dynamics in terms of several role-playing parameters, in particular.

Naked Clams to open a new sector in sustainable nutritious food production

The global population urgently requires alternative food sources that provide the micronutrient-rich profile of meat and fish but with lower environmental cost. We present a solution in the form of ‘Naked Clams’ (teredinids/shipworms) - a seldom researched group of bivalves, that feature tiny shells and live in and feed on wood, turning it into protein and essential nutrients. We report the first pilot system for Naked Clam aquaculture, the first nutritional profile and feeding efficacy assessment, and demonstrate value offered by microencapsulated feeds in fortifying Naked Clams. Naked Clams were rich in nutrients including vitamin B12 and monounsaturated fatty acids, and shared the high protein content of conventional bivalves such as blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Microencapsulated algal feeds enriched the Naked Clams with essential PUFAs including EPA and DHA, with potential for further tailoring. Additional work is required, but this study represents a gateway to a new form of sustainable food production.

Nutritional ecology of temperate octocorals in a warming ocean

Global warming of the oceans poses a double threat to benthic organisms as they reach their thermal limits and starve to death due to declines in plankton abundance during heat waves. Under these circumstances, dissolved nutrients become an important alternative food source, especially in temperate regions where they can reach high concentrations. Although octocorals play a central role in temperate Marine Animal Forests and benthic-pelagic coupling, our knowledge of their feeding ecology is still limited. We used 13C and 15N isotope labeling to investigate feeding rates on dissolved inorganic (carbon, ammonium, nitrate) and organic (urea, amino acids) nutrients of the two most common Mediterranean gorgonians, the mixotrophic species Eunicella singularis and the heterotrophic species Paramuricea clavata. We also measured the uptake of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) provided at different concentrations. Measurements were conducted at 17°C and 24°C to anticipate the effects of ocean warming. Our findings indicate that gorgonians exhibit notably low uptake rates of dissolved inorganic and organic nutrients, both at 17°C and 24°C. At 24°C, gorgonians experienced heat stress, as evidenced by elevated respiration rates, the loss of symbionts in E. singularis, and decreased lipid reserves in P. clavata. However, we did not observe a significant increase in the uptake rates of dissolved inorganic or organic nutrients, except for dissolved organic carbon in E. singularis. This study provides valuable insight into the nutritional requirements of temperate octocorals. The results demonstrate that dissolved nutrients, in particular nitrogen, do not play a substantial role in the diet of gorgonians, suggesting that these organisms primarily rely on the capture of plankton and detrital material for their nitrogen requirements. Therefore, temperate octocorals may be at high risk of severe starvation in the future.

Information Gathering Is Associated with Increased Survival: A Field Experiment in Black-Capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

AbstractSampling, investing time or energy to learn about the environment, allows organisms to track changes in resource distribution and quality. The use of sampling is predicted to change as a function of energy expenditure, food availability, and starvation risk, all of which can vary both within and among individuals. We studied sampling behavior in a field study with black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and show that individuals adjust their use of sampling as a function of ambient temperature (a proxy for energy expenditure), the presence of an alternative food source (yes or no, a proxy for risk of energy shortfall), and their interaction, as predicted by models of optimal sampling. We also observed repeatable differences in sampling. Some individuals consistently sampled more, and individuals that sampled more overall also had a higher annual survival. These results are consistent with among-individual differences in resource acquisition (e.g., food caches or dominance-related differences in priority access to feeders), shaping among-individual differences in both sampling and survival, with greater resource acquisition leading to both higher sampling and higher survival. Although this explanation requires explicit testing, it is in line with several recent studies suggesting that variation in resource acquisition is a key mechanism underlying animal personality.

Bioactive Peptides Derived from Edible Insects: Effects on Human Health and Possible Applications in Dentistry.

Novel foods, including edible insects, are emerging because of their nutritional characteristics and low environmental impacts and could represent a valid alternative source of food in a more sustainable way. Edible insects have been shown to have beneficial effects on human health. Insect-derived bioactive peptides exert antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and have protective effects against common metabolic conditions. In this review, the roles of edible insects in human health are reported, and the possible applications of these peptides in clinical practice are discussed. A special mention is given to the role of antimicrobial peptides and their potential applications in controlling infections in orthodontic procedures. In this context, insects' antimicrobial peptides might represent a potential tool to face the onset of infective endocarditis, with a low chance to develop resistances, and could be manipulated and optimized to replace common antibiotics used in clinical practice so far. Although some safety concerns must be taken into consideration, and the isolation and production of insect-derived proteins are far from easy, edible insects represent an interesting source of peptides, with beneficial effects that may be, in the future, integrated into clinical and orthodontic practice.

Harvesting Optimal Policy in Three Species Food Chain Model As an Optimal Control Problem with Path Constraints

In this paper, we address the issue of harvesting prey and intermediate predators in a tritrophic food chain. Our approach is based on a model that characterizes the interactions among the three species. We assume that the intermediate predator has alternative food sources (it is a generalist), while the top predator relies solely on the intermediate predator (it is a specialist). This model has been previously explored in the literature, but representing the harvesting effort as a scalar control variable. In this study, we treat it as a vector variable, offering a more comprehensive representation, particularly relevant for terrestrial species hunting. Our primary objective is to determine optimal harvesting policies that ensure the persistence of all three species. To achieve this, we formulate the problem as an optimal control problem with a finite horizon and path constraints. We present a numerical example solved using ICLOCS2.

Current Knowledge and Perception of Edible Grasshopper/Locusts’ Consumption in Western Kenya

Edible insects play an important role as a protein source of high-nutritional value in the western region of Kenya. However, current knowledge on edible grasshopper/locust species consumed in western Kenya and the perception towards these insects as an alternative protein source are not well documented. A questionnaire was issued to 901 respondents in four counties of western Kenya. The results showed that 91.6% of the respondents had heard that grasshoppers/locusts are edible insects and that 51.2% of the respondents had consumed them. The most frequently identified edible species was Cyrtacanthacris tatarica, with 58.6% cases followed by Schistocerca gregaria (25.7%), while Ruspolia differens was the least identified (1.2%). The majority of the consumers (60.0%) were introduced to entomophagy by their relatives, fewer by their friends (34.0%), and 5.7% by themselves. For those who had never eaten them, 53.8% were unwilling to try, while 11.9% were willing. On availability in the market, 97.9% indicated having never bought, while only 2.1% had bought the insect. The highly preferred method of cooking was smoking/roasting at 53.3%. The majority at 50.1% indicated the willingness to rear, while 21.0% were undecided. The frequency of the respondents who highly preferred to rear the insect for food and feed was 50.4%. The results suggest that the study population has knowledge of edible grasshopper/locust species and is willing to rear edible insects as an alternative protein food source.

Sesame cake diet enhances the nutritional value of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm)

Abstract Mealworms (MWs) are a potentially environment-friendly, nutrient-rich, alternative food source. MWs can be fed various food by-products, including sesame cakes, a by-product of sesame oil. We studied the impact of a sesame cake diet on the nutritional value of MWs, specifically to determine the possibility of the transfer of nutritional value through feed sources. MWs were fed diets containing wheat bran-based substrates with different percentages of sesame cake (0, 10, 30, and 50%). A correlation between the nutrient composition of MWs and concentration of sesame cakes in their diets was observed. In addition, the ferric reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging activity increased by 53% and 29%, respectively, in MWs fed a 50% sesame cake diet compared with those in MWs not fed with sesame cakes. Furthermore, an increase in sesame cake concentration enhanced the biological activity of MWs fed with sesame cake, such as the inhibition of lipolysis and α-glucosidase; particularly in MWs fed with a 50% sesame cake diet, the efficacy of these processes increased by 1.2- and 1.3-fold, respectively, compared with those in MWs not fed a sesame cake diet. To assess these changes, the profiles of MW compounds were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, where MWs fed with 50% sesame cake diets and those not fed sesame cake diets were compared. Choline content in MWs fed sesame cakes was high. Our results indicate that a sesame cake diet enhances the nutritional and economic values of MWs, validating their use as an alternative food source.

Arthropods discovered on refugio flowering plants in Mangifera indica plantation

Abstract. Windriyanti W, Rahmadhini N, Fernando I, Kusuma RM. 2023. Arthropods discovered on refugio flowering plants in Mangifera indica plantation. Biodiversitas 24: 4747-4754. The diversity of Refugio flowering plants with different ways of flowering phenology provides alternative food sources for arthropods. Insects are the largest class of arthropods, most of which are ecological services that function as natural enemies and pollinators. Insects require an energy source over a long-term period to promote a stable and healthy population. The use of flowering plants as refugia can maximize the role of insects as ecological services in agroecosystems by providing natural enemies and pollinators with a source of food and shelter. The refugia plants used in this study were sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), king’s salad (Cosmos caudatus), Peruvian zinnia (Zinnia peruviana), Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae), and Alternanthera sessilis (Amaranthaceae) with hedgerow and insectary bank planting patterns. Data collection and periodic direct observation (scan sampling) were conducted by transects. Observed parameters included species composition and population of arthropods in two different agro-systems, monoculture and polyculture. Identification results showed 8 orders, including 44 morphospecies, belonging to 25 families. Arthropod abundance in the on-season of the refugia was found in 1422 individuals. Ecological engineering is a habitat manipulation technology using refugia plants that has increased the composition and population of natural enemy insects and pollinators.

Bioactive compounds of insects for food use: Potentialities and risks

Insects are an alternative source of human and animal food that not only have nutritional characteristics and important bioactive compounds, but also can help reduce the impact of chronic non-communicable diseases; thus, derivatives from insects are a great contribution to the food and pharmaceutical industry. The aim of the present work was to highlight the chemical composition, main bioactive compounds, and anti-nutritional factors present in some insects and their applications as raw materials in the food and pharmaceutical industry through the analysis of different studies. Results indicated that entomophagy was included in the diet of many regions in the world and that it is going to become a significant component in the food industry. It was also found that bioactive compounds with potential functional properties within the chemical composition of insects such as an appropriate digestibility between 54 % and 86 %, peptides between 35 % and 77 % and other nutrients such as proteins and carbohydrates that can be a great contribution to nutrition and reduce the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases. Global agencies are of the opinion that edible insects are the viable option to over the food scarcity. However, use of food matrices from insects raises safety issues, such as anti-nutritional factors allergenicity and capacity to harbor toxins such as oxalates, tannins, alkaloids, phytates and saponins or pathogens and heavy metal. Insights presented in this work are useful to insect business (such as farmers, producers of edible insect products and consultants), researchers, and policy makers. Such insights can be an initiative for insect food companies in many ways, such as to forge collaborations with different bodies (researchers, peoples, government), improve perception of insect consumption, promote market acceptance, identify new and native edible insect species, make ecologically sustainable insect food companies, produce nutritious and delicious insect-based foods, etc.

Direct links between resource availability and activity budget better reveal ecological patterns of endangered Coimbra-Filho's titi monkey.

Many primatological studies do not assess direct indexes of food availability to make inferences about behavioral strategies. We related the diet and behavior of a group of Callicebus coimbrai in northeastern Brazil to fruit availability indexes and compared this pattern between seasons (direct and indirect assessment of food availability) to assess whether direct and indirect approaches detect similar ecological patterns. We monitored the study group for 33months (5days/month) via scan sampling. The monthly availability of fruits and new leaves was recorded in phenological transects. Fruit availability varied across years based on fruit prevalence, and timing and duration of the abundant seasons. We did not find evidence of a time-minimizing strategy, since C. coimbrai did not change its activity levels according to food availability. However, the negative relationship between foraging and fruit availability indicates that C. coimbrai can compensate for the lower fruit availability by increasing the search for alternative food sources. Monthly fruit consumption was positively correlated to fruit availability and negatively related to the consumption of other food items. However, the behavioral and feeding profiles did not vary between seasons and were not related to rainfall levels. Primate studies should directly relate behavioral and feeding profiles to fruit availability indices, thus avoiding using seasons as proxies of food availability.

Fishing motives and economic effects of climate change: an application on Arctic char in northern Sweden

Motives for fishing differ among fishers, which may imply different effects of climate change on the net values of fishing. Climate change has impacts on fish population dynamics and on other factors in the fishers’ harvest decision, such as alternative sources of food or income. Here we present a bio-economic model that includes impacts of climate change on fish population and on net values of harvest by fishers with recreational or subsistence fishing motives. The conceptual analysis shows that the economic effects of climate change with simultaneous impacts on fish population growth and harvest values are inconclusive with common fishing access for both fisher types and when there are opposite simultaneous climate effects with exclusive access for one of the fisher types. Numerical results from our model of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in northern Sweden indicate that climate change, measured as temperature increases, reduces fish population growth but increases net values of fishing for both fisher types. The combined net effect of these counteracting forces is that annual net values can almost cease for the subsistence fisher in the future but increase considerably for the recreational fisher.

Chemical composition and gas production kinetic parameters of sweet potato vine waste silage after preserved for short and prolonged periods

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batata L.) culture produces by-products with animal feeding potential, such as vines. Given that sweet potato vines are seasonal and highly perishable, the adoption of conservation strategies such as silage becomes necessary to ensure their availability during food shortage periods. The knowledge of the optimal conservation period of this type of silage is limited, with very few studies available on this topic. The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition, fermentative characteristics, and in vitro gas production kinetics of sweet potato vine silage after 45 and 120 days of conservation and to compare them with those of fresh sweet potato vine. The sweet potato vines were collected, cut into 2-3 cm pieces, and ensiled for 45 and 120 days. After this period, the nutritional value was determined using the standard methods of AOAC. The gas production and kinetics were fitted to the exponential equation proposed by Ørskov and McDonald. It was found that the sweet potato vine can be successfully preserved as silage, regardless of the conservation period, and that it shows a high potential for being used as an alternative food source for ruminants. In vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility were not much different for the fresh sweet potato vine, and the silage was conserved for 120 days. However, the silage for 120 days had lower accumulated in vitro gas production compared to the fresh sweet potato vine. It was concluded that the silage conservation period did not produce significant changes in chemical composition or in vitro digestibility, with the sweet potato vine showing good nutritional values both fresh and after a conservation period. Therefore, sweet potato vine silage can be used as an alternative food source in ruminant diets.

Development, survival, and reproduction of Amblyseius swirskii (Athias- Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) feeding on different pollen grains

In the present study, the development, reproduction, survival, and population growth rate of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias- Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were evaluated when fed on pollen of eight different plant species; lebbeck [Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.], date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), Khejri [Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce], castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), maize (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), cogongrass [Imperata cylindrical (L.) P. Beauv.], and cattail (Typha sp.), at 25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 16:8 h (L: D). Pollen of maize and date palm did not exert any mortality during pre-imaginal development, while the highest immature mortality was observed on cogongrass pollen. The longest immature development of both sexes was obtained when sunflower pollen was the food source, whereas it was shortest on castor bean pollen followed by date palm pollen. Females fed on maize pollen laid the highest number of eggs, while the females on cogongrass laid the lowest number. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the finite rate of increase (λ) were highest on date palm pollen and the lowest on cogongrass. Overall, we found that date palm and maize pollen are the most promising alternative food sources of the species tested for A. swirskii because populations reared on date palm and maize pollen showed no pre-adult mortality and had the longest oviposition period, and the highest fecundity and population growth rates.

Geographic differences in the diet and isotopic niche of Octopus hubbsorum (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) in the Mexican Pacific

ABSTRACT Octopus hubbsorum is an important fisheries resource in the Mexican Pacific and a link among different trophic levels due to its ecological role as both predator and prey. In this study, the spatial variations in the diet, isotopic niche and trophic position of O. hubbsorum were determined by analysing digestive contents along with carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Octopuses were sampled from four locations, three in the Gulf of California ecoregion and one in the Mexican Pacific transition ecoregion. The diet of O. hubbsorum consisted of 11 major taxonomic groups. Crustaceans were the most important prey, although some individuals consumed high proportions of polychaetes, eggs and cephalopods. The stable isotope values showed high variation (−15.86 to −13.76‰ δ13C; 14.80–17.23‰ δ15N), reflecting signals of the base of the food web at the four locations. Differences in trophic positions and isotopic niches confirm the role of this species as a generalist predator, as it can shift among alternate food sources according to local availability. Overall, our results suggest that O. hubbsorum has a similar ecological role at all locations as a predator of crustaceans and, to a lesser extent, of molluscs and fish.

Innovative crop - quinoa as an alternative food source in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Quinoa is a still little-known grain herbaceous plant in Kazakhstan, which, under optimal weather and temperature conditions, can reach a yield of 11 t/ha, with an average yield of 6-8 tons per hectare. The goal is to show, based on a review of scientific works, the importance and possibilities of growing this crop in Kazakhstan. Methods – dialectical, economic and comparative analysis. Statistical information on pricing policy is provided. The analytical base consisted of publications of domestic scientists on food security and foreign researchers and periodical sources about this annual plant. Results the authors revealed the possibilities of its use in various sectors of agro-industrial complex, and also considered the prospects for cultivation, storage, delivery and sales, and pricing policy. Conclusions – quinoa has great potential for expanding its use by domestic producers. The authors see the promotion of this product in the republic in effective state support of agricultural sector at the initial stages of the development of such a dietary crop. There is an opportunity to achieve significant results in the short and long term. The possibility of its wide distribution and economic benefits have been determined. The article identifies ways to solve the food problem through the cultivation of quinoa for on-farm needs, as well as providing access to new markets. The authors note the increased interest of quinoa crop as an unconventional raw ingredient for the Kazakh consumer when creating multicomponent recipes, which is justified by its high nutritional value.

Tissue distribution of minerals and antinutrients of Clanis bilineata tsingtauica Mell larvae based on different methods of consumption

Abstract Mineral deficiencies result in a variety of health issues in humans, and alternative sources of minerals are greatly needed to address this problem. Clanis bilineata tsingtauica larvae are nutrient-rich and are prepared using several different cooking methods in China. In this study, the concentrations of ten different mineral elements were determined in the larvae of C. bilineata tsingtauica. The guts of larvae that had wriggled in soil contained abundant macro- and micronutrients at 4,800 and 271.68 mg/kg, respectively. Larvae that wriggled in soil contained high levels of phytic acid (1707.07 μg/g) and had the lowest mineral bioavailability. Expression studies indicated that genes related to phytic acid highly expressed in the hemolymph of larvae that had not wriggled in soil. This study shows that C. bilineata tsingtauica larvae are vital sources of minerals and that long-established dietary habits have a scientific basis, thus providing insight into the use of this alternative food source to improve human health.