Food Sources Research Articles

Flavor-boosting of Phaeodactylum tricornutum by fermentation with edible mushrooms

Microalgae are a promising and sustainable source of nutritious food, especially for use in alternatives to fish and seafood. Among them, Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) stands out for its potential to revolutionize future diets with its rich nutrient profile and eco-friendly cultivation methods. However, its typically fishy and “brackish water” off-odor has been a significant deterrent. Using 13 basidiomycetes as starter cultures, the dynamic changes in the aroma were studied. To better understand the aroma development during fermentation, odor-active compounds were identified using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry–olfactometry. By submerged fermentation lasting 39 and 51 hours with Pleurotus citrinopileatus (PCI) and Pleurotus eryngii (PER), respectively, the unpalatable odor of PT was transformed into savory and seafood-like aromas, while retaining most of the valuable carotenoids (fucoxanthin and β-carotene were retained at 75 % and 90 %) and fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were preserved at 80 % of their initial concentrations). Throughout the fermentation process, key odorants responsible for the algae's initial green, grassy, and unpleasant odor were reduced, while compounds responsible for savory and seafood-like fragrances increased. A series of sulfur compounds, such as dimethyl disulfide, were found to be major contributors to the post-fermentation aroma.

Walk this way: modeling foraging ant dynamics in multiple food source environments

Foraging for resources is an essential process for the daily life of an ant colony. What makes this process so fascinating is the self-organization of ants into trails using chemical pheromone in the absence of direct communication. Here we present a stochastic lattice model that captures essential features of foraging ant dynamics inspired by recent agent-based models while forgoing more detailed interactions that may not be essential to trail formation. Nevertheless, our model’s results coincide with those presented in more sophisticated theoretical models and experiments. Furthermore, it captures the phenomenon of multiple trail formation in environments with multiple food sources. This latter phenomenon is not described well by other more detailed models. We complement the stochastic lattice model by describing a macroscopic PDE which captures the basic structure of lattice model. The PDE provides a continuum framework for the first-principle interactions described in the stochastic lattice model and is amenable to analysis. Linear stability analysis of this PDE facilitates a computational study of the impact various parameters impart on trail formation. We also highlight universal features of the modeling framework that may allow this simple formation to be used to study complex systems beyond ants.

Long-term anthropogenic drivers of diet composition and niche breadth in an endangered avian scavenger: The scant role of sanitary regulations

The widespread and accelerated transformation experienced by our planet results in populations of endangered species having to survive in highly-altered environments and increasingly relying on resources provided by human subsidies. Presently, vultures rank among the most imperiled functional groups of large vertebrates globally, a situation that is largely attributed to the rapid intensification of agriculture and the subsequent transformation of farming practices and agro-grazing landscapes. Hence, documenting the long-term fluctuations in the vultures’ dietary patterns in response to environmental changes, particularly in livestock management, is of utmost significance. Here, by means of bulk stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N), we examined long-term variations in diet composition and niche breadth in a population of the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. We specifically focused on the effect of European sanitary regulations enacted in 2014, which allow sheep farmers to abandon livestock remains for consumption by scavenging birds, except for pig carcasses. We found that the implementation of these new regulations did not cause a change in the diet of vultures. Changes were only detected in scrubland areas and were driven by an increase in the consumption of wild rabbit which, in turn, lead to expansion of the trophic niche. These results indicate that these endangered vultures are heavily dependent on food sources derived from intensive farming, mostly of pigs illegally disposed in the wild, and moreover, highlight the importance of carcasses of small vertebrates, often disregarded in conservation programs in favor of the contribution of livestock remains. Our research provides valuable insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of trophic strategies among avian scavengers, specifically in the context of changes resulting from intensified human-pressures on agro-grazing Mediterranean landscapes.

Bistability in a predator–prey model characterized by the Crowley–Martin functional response: Effects of fear, hunting cooperation, additional foods and nonlinear harvesting

This study focuses on unraveling key factors influencing predator–prey interactions with Crowley–Martin functional response. Specifically, it explores the roles of additional food sources, harvesting practices, hunting cooperation, fear and its carry-over effects. We analyze equilibrium points and their stability properties through rigorous mathematical methods. Numerical illustrations showcase a diverse range of bifurcations including Hopf, saddle–node, and transcritical, providing a comprehensive understanding of the system’s dynamics. We find that the collaboration among predators during hunting induces instability in the system, leading to the emergence of population cycles from a stable state. Further, we place emphasis on investigating the impact of seasonal forcing by introducing time-varying parameters into our model. We reveal the emergence of periodic solutions, higher periodic solutions and chaotic dynamics due to the seasonal variations of the prey’s birth rate and the degree of hunting cooperation. We also emphasize the significance of incorporating different periodicity of seasonally forced parameters, leading to a more precise understanding of predator–prey dynamics.

Would edible insects become part of our gastronomic quest?

Global food security status has been contested in recent times with claims of efficient food production by the proponents and severe to moderate food insecurity by the opponents. The current population growth prediction of 9.7 billion by 2050 requires additional food production due to the impact of climate change leading to diminished yield rates. Novel food sources such as cellular agriculture utilizing modern biotechnology are at various trial and commercialization stages. Old traditions of insects as a reliable food (entomophagy) source are gaining momentum in recent times. This article explores various aspects of entomophagy. The ecological footprint of entomophagy on its animal counterparts is presented. Since religious factors have a major impact on eating habits that privileges certain elements, perspectives from major religions on entomophagy have been discussed. The regulatory standpoint of Anglo-Saxon, Western and Eastern societies are given. Consumer knowledge and commercialization challenges are also discussed with concluding remarks.

Nutritional Quality of Basal Resource in Stream Food Webs Increased with Light Reduction—Implications for Riparian Revegetation

Biofilms are considered a basal resource with high nutritional quality in stream food webs, as periphytic algae are abundant of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). PUFAs are essential for growth and reproduction of consumers who cannot or have very limited capacity to biosynthesize. Yet, how the nutritional quality based on PUFA of basal food sources changes with light intensity remains unclear. We conducted a manipulative experiment in mesocosms to explore the response and mechanisms of nutritional quality to shading, simulating riparian restoration. We found a significant increase in PUFA% (including arachidonic acid, ARA) under shading conditions. The increased PUFA is caused by the algal community succession from Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta to Bacillariophyta which is abundant of PUFA (especially eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA; docosahexaenoic acid, DHA). On the other hand, shading increased PUFA via upregulating enzymes such as Δ12 desaturase (FAD2, EC:1.14.19.6) and 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS, EC:2.3.1.199) in the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid elongation pathways. Our findings imply that riparian reforestation by decreasing light intensity increases the nutritional quality of basal resources in streams, which may enhance transfer of good quality carbon to consumers in higher trophic levels through bottom-up effects.

Life table study of Rachiplusia nu (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on different food sources and artificial diet.

Rachiplusia nu Guenée is a polyphagous species able to develop on several cultivated and non-cultivated host plants. However, basic life history information about this pest on hosts is scarce. In this study, R. nu larvae did not survive on leaves of non-Bt corn, wheat, Bt cotton that expresses proteins Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab2 or on Intacta2 Xtend soybean that expresses the Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac proteins. Rachiplusia nu showed a viable egg-to-adult biological cycle (54%-66.3%) on non-Bt soybean, sunflower, canola, vetch, Persian clover, alfalfa, bean, and forage turnip hosts, similar to larvae raised on the artificial diet. In addition, R. nu was unable to complete larval development on non-Bt cotton, and only 45.2% of R. nu larvae reached the pupal stage when fed leaves of intacta RR2 PRO soybean that expresses the Cry1Ac protein. Larval and pupal mass of surviving insects on Cry1Ac soybean leaves were also lower (larval: 0.104g; pupal: 0.099g) in relation to other food sources (larval: 0.165-0.189g; pupal: 0.173-0.192g). The total fecundity of R. nu on Cry1Ac soybean leaves was ≈65% lower in relation to other food sources. This fact caused ≈60% the net reproductive rate (Ro) and intrinsic rate of increase (rm) when compared to other food sources. Our findings indicate that the Cry1Ac soybean negatively affects the biological parameters of R. nu. Non-Bt soybean, sunflower, canola, vetch, Persian clover, alfalfa, bean, and forage turnip are viable food sources for the survival and development of R. nu.

Mangrove snail diversity as a tool for biomonitoring the mangrove based coastal habitats

Mangrove forests play a pivotal role in supporting mangrove associated snails by offering essential functions such as breeding grounds, nursery areas, food sources, and protection from predators. They play a particularly important role in nutrient cycling within mangrove ecosystems. Despite their significance, there has been a lack of studies conducted in Sri Lanka to explore the diversity of mangrove snails. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the significance of snail species diversity in mangrove ecosystems on the western coast of Kandakuliya, Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. Five sites were selected using purposive sampling technique at each location, and the sampling was conducted during low tide in daylight hours in both the non-rainy (February) and rainy (September) seasons of 2023. Transects (30 m) were established at each location, with six 1 m² quadrats placed along each transect at 5 m intervals as replicates. The study identified six snail species from three families, with Pirenella cingulata being the most widely distributed across all sites and exhibiting the highest abundance at site 3. Temporally, Pirenella cingulata displayed the highest number of individuals in both the rainy and dry seasons. Diversity indices indicated the highest values at site 1 for the Shannon-Wiener index (H´=1.14), site 5 for Pielou's evenness index (J=0.96), and site 1 for Simpson's diversity index (D=0.67). Pirenella cingulata recorded the highest total abundance at 85,840 individuals. Variations in these findings may be attributed to water quality factors such as temperature and dissolved oxygen, as well as mangrove dominance and climatic conditions. The study suggests that incorporation of environmental parameters could support to draw a more comprehensive understanding of the correlation of dynamics of environmental variables for mangrove snail population changes.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa modulates both Caenorhabditis elegans attraction and pathogenesis by regulating nitrogen assimilation

Detecting chemical signals is important for identifying food sources and avoiding harmful agents. Like many animals, C. elegans use olfaction to chemotax towards their main food source, bacteria. However, little is known about the bacterial compounds governing C. elegans attraction to bacteria and the physiological importance of these compounds to bacteria. Here, we address these questions by investigating the function of a small RNA, P11, in the pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that was previously shown to mediate learned pathogen avoidance. We discovered that this RNA also affects the attraction of untrained C. elegans to P. aeruginosa and does so by controlling production of ammonia, a volatile odorant produced during nitrogen assimilation. We describe the complex regulation of P. aeruginosa nitrogen assimilation, which is mediated by a partner-switching mechanism involving environmental nitrates, sensor proteins, and P11. In addition to mediating C. elegans attraction, we demonstrate that nitrogen assimilation mutants perturb bacterial fitness and pathogenesis during C. elegans infection by P. aeruginosa. These studies define ammonia as a major mediator of trans-kingdom signaling, implicate nitrogen assimilation as important for both bacteria and host organisms, and highlight how a bacterial metabolic pathway can either benefit or harm a host in different contexts.

SeqSNP-Based Targeted GBS Provides Insight into the Genetic Relationships among Global Collections of Brassica rapa ssp. oleifera (Turnip Rape)

Turnip rape is a multi-purpose crop cultivated in temperate regions. Due to its ability to fit into crop rotation systems and its role as a food and feed source, spring-type turnip rape cultivation is on the rise. To improve the crop’s productivity and nutritional value, it is essential to understand its genetic diversity. In this study, 188 spring-type accessions were genotyped using SeqSNP, a targeted genotyping-by-sequencing method to determine genetic relationships between various groups and assess the potential effects of mutations within genes regulating major desirable traits. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) alleles at six loci were predicted to have high effects on their corresponding genes’ functions, whereas nine loci had country/region-specific alleles. A neighbor-joining cluster analysis revealed three major clusters (I to III). About 72% of cluster-I accessions were of Asian origin, whereas 88.5% of European accessions and all North American accessions were placed in cluster-II or cluster-III. A principal coordinate analysis explained 65.3% of the total genetic variation. An analysis of molecular variance revealed significant differentiation among different groups of accessions. Compared to Asian cultivars, European and North American cultivars share more genetic similarities. Hence, crossbreeding Asian and European cultivars may result in improved cultivars due to desirable allele recombination. Compared to landraces and wild populations, the cultivars had more genetic variation, indicating that breeding had not caused genetic erosion. There were no significant differences between Swedish turnip rape cultivars and the NordGen collection. Hence, crossbreeding with genetically distinct cultivars could enhance the gene pool’s genetic diversity and facilitate superior cultivar development.

Nutritional value, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant potential of Iranian fenugreeks for food applications

Fenugreeks (Trigonella L. spp.), are well-known herbs belonging to the family Fabaceae, whose fresh and dried leaves have nutritional and medicinal value. In the present study, the content of phytochemical traits (essential oil, diosgenin, trigonelline, total phenol, total flavonoid, total saponins, and total tannins), bitterness value, pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoid, β-carotene, and anthocyanin), vitamins (group B vitamins and ascorbic acid), minerals, and antioxidant activity of thirty cultivated populations belonging to ten Trigonella species were evaluated. The species and populations were significantly different in all studied parameters. A significant positive and negative correlation (p < 0.05) was also observed between the studied parameters. In total, T. teheranica, T. elliptica, and T. foenum-graecum were distinguished as superior species. The results showed that fenugreeks leaves can be considered as a valuable source of food and phytochemical compounds. The obtained data can be help to expand the inventory of wild and cultivated Trigonella species for further exploitation of rich chemotypes in the new foods and specific applications.

Simultaneous detection of enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol antibiotics using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with triangular silver nanoplates

The emergence of antibiotic residues in the environment and food requires the development of sensitive and selective detection methods for monitoring these contaminants. In fact, many different types of antibiotics will be used simultaneously to prevent diseases in livestock and aquatic animals, causing antibiotic residues in food and the environment. Rapid and accurate simultaneous analysis of multiple antibiotics at low concentrations remains a major challenge in in the field of rapid detection. This study presents a sensitive and selective method for the simultaneous detection of two widely used antibiotics, enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol, by combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with triangular silver nanoplates. Triangular silver nanoplates (TAgNPls) in the form of colloid were simply synthesized by chemical reduction method and then used as an effective SERS substrate, enhancing the Raman signals of the target antibiotics and enabling the detection of these antibiotics at trace levels. It was found that with a SERS substrate assembled from the above TAgNPls, the antibiotics enrofloxacin and chloramphenicol could be detected with detection limits of 2.6 µg/L and 4.3 µg/L, respectively. In addition, this SERS substrate also allows simultaneous detection of the above two antibiotics in one analytical sample with concentrations as low as 10 µg/L for both substances. The proposed method holds promise for addressing concerns related to antibiotic contamination in various environments and food sources, contributing to the advancement of analytical techniques for the trace detection of pharmaceutical residues.

Sustainable Concreting: Optimization Modelling of the Strength Properties of Bio-Self Compacting Concrete Incorporating Sporosarcina Pasteurii, Calcined Clay and Limestone Powder

Sustainable concreting is prerequisite for infrastructural development in developing countries so as to meet up with the sustainable development goal of adequate mass housing and other critical infrastructure. Thus, research is ever ongoing aimed at developing cheaper and more durable concrete via the incorporation of bio-based by-products in concrete to improve its properties, as well as optimizing the quantities of these secondary materials for maximum and optimal concrete production. One such revolutionary concrete that is yet to find full application in the developing world is self-compacting concrete, because of the cost and attendant environmental effects. There is thus a need to arrive at optimal materials quantities that can maximize concrete properties without recourse to many trial and error experimentations that are both time and resources consuming. The application of modelling tools in concrete technology aids in the optimization of concrete constituents for optimal self-compacting concrete performance. This research uses optimization techniques to optimize the bacteria dosage as well as model the Compressive and Tensile strength properties of a calcined clay and Limestone powder blended ternary self-compacting concrete using sporosarcina pasteurii as Microbial induced calcite precipitation agent and calcium lactate as nutrient source. The Bacteria was incorporated into the concrete at a bacterial content of 1.5x108cfu/ml, 1.2x10 cfu/ml and 2.4x109cfu/ml corresponding to the McFarland turbidity scale of 0.5, 4 and 8 while the nutrient (calcium lactate) content was 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% by weight of cement for each bacterial content. The Compressive strength and tensile strengths at 28 days were determined and the results used for both the model development, strength optimization and model validation, with the strengths as the dependent variable (y) and the bacterial content corresponding to a McFarland scale of and calcium lactate content as the independent variables, X1 and X2 respectively. The results show an improvement in the compressive strength from 32N/mm2 to 45.2N/mm2 at the optimal bacterial and nutrient content of 1.2x10 cfu/ml and 0.5% respectively, and tensile strength from 4.01N/mm2 to 5.0N/mm2. Also, the non-linear regression models proved adequate for optimizing the bacterial content for optimal self-compacting concrete performance. Journal of Engineering Science 15(1), 2024, 11-19

Effect of different sources of organic manures on growth and yield of Broccoli

Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers is a common practice that is hazardous both for soil health and the environment. It has been more than three decades that global agriculture has been depicted towards organic agriculture owing to sustainability and reduced environmental effects. An experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications to study the effect of different sources of organic nutrients on growth and yield of broccoli. The experiment consisted of five different sources of manures; control (no manure), cowdung (25 t/ha), Trichoderma compost (10 t/ha), vermicompost (12 t/ha) and poultry litter (14 t/ha) along with two cultivars of broccoli; ‘Imperial’ and ‘Premium Crop’. Different sources of manures and cultivars had significant influence on plant height, height up to curd, number of leaves per plant, length of leaf, breadth of leaf, plant canopy, diameter of curd, diameter of stem, weight of primary curd, number of secondary curds, weight of secondary curd, yield per plant, yield per unit plot and yield per hectare. The maximum yield (17.32 t/ha) was obtained from vermicompost, followed by poultry litter in ‘Premium Crop’ (15.68 t/ha) cultivar. The minimum yield (6.62 t/ha) was recorded by no manure in ‘Imperial’. Control treatment showed the lowest values for all the parameters studied. Combination of vermicompost and ‘Premium Crop’ cultivar was found the best among all other treatment combinations, including in respect of net return (Tk. 234099/ha) and BCR (3.08). Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 11, No. 2, August 2024: 197-204

Unravelling soybean responses to early and late Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) infestation

Abstract Soybean is a crucial source of food, protein, and oil worldwide that is facing challenges from biotic stresses. Infestation of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) stands out as detrimentally affecting plant growth and grain production. Understanding soybean responses to T. urticae infestation is pivotal for unravelling the dynamics of mite–plant interactions. We evaluated the physiological and molecular responses of soybean plants to mite infestation after 5 and 21 days. We employed visual/microscopy observations of leaf damage, H2O2 accumulation, and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, the impact of mite infestation on shoot length/dry weight, chlorophyll concentration, and development stages was analysed. Proteomic analysis identified differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) after early (5 days) and late (21 days) infestation. Furthermore, GO, KEGG, and protein–protein interaction analyses were performed to understand effects on metabolic pathways. Throughout the analysed period, symptoms of leaf damage, H2O2 accumulation, and lipid peroxidation consistently increased. Mite infestation reduced shoot length/dry weight, chlorophyll concentration, and development stage duration. Proteomics revealed 185 and 266 DAPs after early and late mite infestation, respectively, indicating a complex remodelling of metabolic pathways. Photorespiration, chlorophyll synthesis, amino acid metabolism, and Krebs cycle/energy production were impacted after both early and late infestation. Additionally, specific metabolic pathways were modified only after early or late infestation. This study underscores the detrimental effects of mite infestation on soybean physiology and metabolism. DAPs offer potential in breeding programs for enhanced resistance. Overall, this research highlights the complex nature of soybean response to mite infestation, providing insights for intervention and breeding strategies.

Carotenoids from Different Pumpkin Varieties Exert a Cytotoxic Effect on Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells.

Plants, including pumpkins (Cucurbita spp.), are an interesting source of nutrients and bioactives with various health benefits. In this research, carotenoid extracts obtained from the pulp of eight pumpkin varieties, belonging to the C. moschata and C. maxima species, were tested for cytotoxicity on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The results showed that pumpkin bioactives exert a cytotoxic action against the tested cells, in particular Butternut extract at a 100 μM (53.69 μg/mL) concentration after 24 h of treatment and Mantovana extract at 50 μM (26.84 μg/mL) after 48 h. Moreover, the carotenoid extracts also showed interesting in vitro antioxidant activity, evaluated by ABTS and ORAC assays. To fully characterize the qualitative and quantitative profile of carotenoids in the tested extracts, a high-performance chromatographic technique was performed, revealing that pumpkin pulp carotenoids were mainly represented by β-carotene, mono- and di-esterified hydroxy- and epoxy-carotenoids. Moreover, the carotenoid dataset was also useful for discriminating samples from two different species. In conclusion, the results of the present study highlight the potential anti-cancer activity of pumpkin carotenoid extracts and the possibility of using them as chemotherapeutic adjuvants.

Oral Health and Nutraceutical Agents.

Oral health is essential for both overall health and quality of life. The mouth is a window into the body's health, and nutrition can strongly impact the state of general and oral health. A healthy diet involves the synergistic effect of various nutraceutical agents, potentially capable of conferring protective actions against some inflammatory and chronic-degenerative disorders. Nutraceuticals, mostly present in plant-derived products, present multiple potential clinical, preventive, and therapeutic benefits. Accordingly, preclinical and epidemiological studies suggested a protective role for these compounds, but their real preventive and therapeutic effects in humans still await confirmation. Available evidence suggests that plant extracts are more effective than individual constituents because they contain different phytochemicals with multiple pharmacological targets and additive/synergistic effects, maximizing the benefits for oral health. Moreover, nutritional recommendations for oral health should be personalized and aligned with valid suggestions for overall health. This review is aimed to: introduce the basic concepts of nutraceuticals, including their main food sources; examine the logic that supports their relationship with oral health, and summarize and critically discuss clinical trials testing the utility of nutraceuticals in the prevention and treatment of oral diseases.

Health benefit of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): a mini review

The importance of nutrition and its impact on human well-being has increased interest in "functional foods." This has prompted a reevaluation of the practical advantages offered by various conventional food sources. it is the richest known source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), phytoestrogen lignans, and solubility fiber, flax continues to acquire popularity as a functional food and is currently gaining attention in the field of cardiovascular disease. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, a lignin derivative found in flaxseeds, is metabolized into mammalian lignans. Lignans have numerous biological effects. Flax lignans have an effect on the early warning indications of breast and colon carcinogenesis in animal models. Regular flaxseed consumption may affect total and lowdensity lipoprotein levels in the blood. Increase serum levels of the omega-3 fatty acids ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid, reduce inflammatory markers, and reduce postprandial glucose absorption. Flaxseed has demonstrated significant antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties in both animal and human research. In cases such as cardiovascular risk, certain types of cancer, and other metabolic disorders, a flaxseed supplement in the diet may be beneficial. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of fresh flaxseed and flaxseed-based baked goods for maintaining health and preventing disease. This article focuses on the 'nutraceutical' potential of 'flaxseed' and its function as a 'medicine food' that is both therapeutic and preventative.

Comparative analysis of the nutritional composition and volatile compounds in male and female adults, nymphs, and molts of Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker.

Female adult Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker (FAESW) has traditionally been a food source in Southeast Asian countries such as China and India, due to its rich nutritional content. However, the nutritional value of male adults (MAESW) and its molts (MESW) has hardly been reported. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential application of MAESW and MESW in food by investigating and comparing their nutritional composition (i.e., protein, amino acids, fatty acids, and essential elements) with traditional sources of nutrition. The protein content of MAESW and MESW was 66.10±0.49% and 59.86±6.07%, respectively, and the highest energy content (462.26±1.28kcal/100g) was observed for MAESW. Eight essential amino acids were determined, of which the males and MESW were found to have higher contents than those of FAESW (p<0.05). Oleic and linoleic acid contents were higher in the adults than nymphs. Moreover, MESW was predominant in calcium (6770.84mg/kg), whereas MAESW was rich in iron (556.12mg/kg). Likened to chicken, the protein, amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral contents of ESW were higher. The volatiles of ESW were related to hexaldehyde, benzaldehyde, acetic acid, and butyric acid. This study provides a better understanding of the chemical composition of ESWs during their growth cycle and helps optimize information on edible insects, promoting their use as a potential food source for humans. As a kind of edible insect, the utilization of adult male Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker (ESW) and its molt is very low at present. Therefore, this study examined the nutrients and volatile substances of ESW (at different growth stages) and molt, which provided a theoretical basis for the subsequent development and utilization of ESW.

The Effect of Using Compost on Cowpea Productivity in the Semi-Arid Region of Brazil

The production of cowpea is part of the agricultural activities of farmers in the semi-arid region of Brazil, being important in the aspect of acquiring income and source of food, in this sense, the use of rooster tree (Calotropis procera) mixed with cattle manure in cowpea productivity in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The experiment was conducted from August to November 2023 at the Rafael Fernandes experimental farm, in the district of Alagoinha (5º03'37 "S, 37º23'50" W), northwest of Mossoró, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with an area of 400 hectares. The experimental design used was randomized complete blocks in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with three replications. The first factor consisted of four quantities of cattle manure (0.0; 1.1; 2.2 and 4.4 kg m-2), the second factor being the presence and absence of rooster tree. Each plot consisted of dimensions of 2.2 m x 1.2 m, with a total area of 2.64 m2. Each plot had eight holes with three plants, making a population of 90,900 plants ha-1. After harvesting the dried pods, they were stored in plastic bags, identified and taken to the DCAF/UFERSA Post-Harvest laboratory, where the following characteristics were measured: pod length, expressed in cm, number of pods plant-1, expressed in plant-1 units, weight of five pods, expressed in grams, weight of 100 grains, expressed in grams and dry grain productivity, expressed in kg ha-1. The highest cowpea productivity was observed at a dose of 4.4 kg m-2, with a maximum value of 2,858.85 kg ha-1. The presence of rooster tree did not influence any of the characteristics evaluated. The use of cattle manure is an option for farmers in the semi-arid region.