Issue 1, 2024

Insects as a sustainable source of emerging proteins and their processing to obtain bioactive compounds: an updated review

Abstract

Insects have been considered alternative foods, mainly as sources of protein. The inclusion of insects in the human diet can help meet the growing demand for food, whether consumed directly or as ingredients in other formulations. In recent years, there has been great interest in using insect proteins as a substrate to obtain bioactive peptides. This review provides an overview of obtaining bioactive peptides, addressing the advantages of using insects as a protein substrate, as well as the challenges associated with their use. Techniques for simulating gastrointestinal digestion, microbial fermentation and application of commercial enzymes were described as suitable methods for obtaining peptides. The principles of antioxidant, antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties have been elucidated. Considering an alternative use of peptides as ingredients in other food formulations, possible changes in their bioactivities were reported. This could result from the interaction of peptides with phenolic compounds and their involvement in the Maillard reaction. Finally, allergenic and regulatory aspects were discussed as the main challenges in using insects as a hydrolysis substrate.

Graphical abstract: Insects as a sustainable source of emerging proteins and their processing to obtain bioactive compounds: an updated review

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 Jun 2023
Accepted
03 Nov 2023
First published
07 Nov 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Sustainable Food Technol., 2024,2, 19-31

Insects as a sustainable source of emerging proteins and their processing to obtain bioactive compounds: an updated review

F. M. de Matos, G. B. Rasera and R. J. S. de Castro, Sustainable Food Technol., 2024, 2, 19 DOI: 10.1039/D3FB00097D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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