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Edible Insects as a Source of Bioactive and Therapeutic Compounds: From Niche to Mainstream

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 1672

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Food Biochemistry and Analysis, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 28 Wojska Polskiego St., 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: plant biofortification; novel food; food biochemistry; iron; food digestibility; sprouts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Faculty of Management and Quality Science, Gdynia Maritime University, 83 Morska St., 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
Interests: food; sorption; food products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world's population continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, and this demographic expansion presents a significant challenge in ensuring sustainable and nutritious food sources for all. As we strive to address the problems related to feeding the ever-increasing global population, exploring unconventional yet highly promising avenues becomes crucial. Edible insects are emerging as a potential solution, not only as a source of protein but also as a rich reservoir of other valuable compounds that can contribute to overcoming malnutrition and combating various diseases. Edible insects have been an integral part of diets in many regions of the world for centuries. They offer a promising solution to the global challenge of providing adequate and sustainable nutrition to a growing population. In addition to their high protein content, edible insects are rich in essential amino acids, vitamins (e.g., B vitamins), minerals (e.g., iron, zinc), and healthy fats (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids). Moreover, they are a source of bioactive compounds that have the potential to combat malnutrition, bolster immune systems, and contribute to the prevention and management of various diseases. The Special Issue of Molecules, titled "Edible Insects as a Source of Bioactive and Therapeutic Compounds: From Niche to Mainstream" aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and experts to explore the diverse nutritional, bioactive, and therapeutic potential of edible insects. We invite contributions that encompass various aspects of this intriguing field, including but not limited to:

  • Nutritional Composition: Papers focusing on the nutritional value of edible insects, including protein content, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids;
  • Bioactive Compounds: Research on bioactive compounds found in edible insects, such as antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and anti-inflammatory substances;
  • Therapeutic Applications: Studies investigating the potential therapeutic properties of edible insect-derived compounds in the prevention and treatment of various health conditions.

Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski
Dr. Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak
Guest Editors

Dr. Millena Ruszkowska
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • allergenicity
  • alternative sources of nutrients
  • bioactive peptides
  • cytotoxicity
  • digestibility
  • genotoxicity
  • novel proteins
  • nutritional value
  • peptidomics
  • protein enrichment
  • proteomics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 640 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Cricket Protein Powder and Whey Protein Digestibility
by Barbora Lampová, Ivo Doskočil, Petr Šmíd and Lenka Kouřimská
Molecules 2024, 29(15), 3598; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29153598 - 30 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1166
Abstract
With the global population projected to reach nine billion by 2050, the search for alternative protein sources has become critical. This study evaluated the digestibility of cricket protein powder compared with that of whey protein powder. Cricket protein powder had a slightly lower [...] Read more.
With the global population projected to reach nine billion by 2050, the search for alternative protein sources has become critical. This study evaluated the digestibility of cricket protein powder compared with that of whey protein powder. Cricket protein powder had a slightly lower protein content but higher fat content than whey protein powder. Although both contained all essential amino acids, their quantities varied. The most abundant essential amino acid was leucine in both samples. The essential amino acid index (EAAI) for cricket protein powder reached 79% when utilising crude protein for calculation. When using the amino acid sum calculation method, it increased by nearly 13%. The EAAI for whey protein was then 94% when calculated based on crude protein, with a slight increase observed when using the amino acid sum calculation method. Cricket protein exhibited a gradual increase in digestibility during intestinal digestion, reaching nearly 80%, whereas whey protein digestibility surpassed 97%. Despite the lower digestibility of cricket protein compared with whey protein, it remains sufficiently high for consideration as a valuable protein source. This study highlights the potential of cricket proteins and underscores the importance of assessing their protein content and digestibility in evaluating their nutritional value. Full article
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