J Food Bioact

Journal of Food Bioactives, ISSN 2637-8752 print, 2637-8779 online

Journal website www.isnff-jfb.com

Perspective

Volume 14, June 2021, pages 4-9

Edible insects as a source of food bioactives and their potential health effects

**Table 1.** Potential health benefits of edible insects
Effect	Findings
In vitro studies
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity relevant to hypertension treatment	Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity of peptides from various insect species similar to that of bioactive compounds from other animals (Cito et al., 2017). Elevated angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity of hydrolysates following gastrointestinal digestion of various insects (Vercruysse et al., 2005; Vercruysse et al., 2008; Wu et al., 2011)
Antioxidant activity	Antioxidant capacities of water and liposoluble extracts from several insect species 2–3 times higher than those of orange juice and olive oil (Di Mattia et al., 2019)
Anticarcinogenic activity	Potential anticancer activity of various proteins, peptides (Slocinska et al., 2008) and alkaloids (Pettit et al., 2005) contained in insects as well as of crude insect-derived extracts (Ahn et al., 2000)
In vivo studies
Hypolipidemic activity	Lipid metabolism of rats affected by omega-3 α-linolenic acid-rich silkworm chrysalis oil, suggesting improvements of hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia (Mentang et al., 2011). Reductions in body weight gain as well as levels of total cholesterol, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and plasma triacylglycerol in rats following administration of chitooligosaccharides from chitosan of larvae skin (Clanis bilineata) (Xia et al., 2013)
Antiobesity effect	Attenuation of body weight gain in obese mice fed a high-fat diet following administration of yellow mealworm larvae powder (Seo et al., 2017). Dose-dependent reduction in body weight gain, organ weight and adipose tissue volume of mice following administration of Korean horn beetle larvae (Yoon et al., 2015). Inhibition of lipase activity related to the digestion of dietary lipids following administration of house cricket and yellow mealworm extracts (Del Navarro Hierro et al., 2020)
Anti-hepatic steatosis activity	Preventive effects of silkworm larval powder regarding hepatic steatosis and injury in ethanol-treated rats through elevating fatty acid β-oxidation, reducing de novo synthesis of fatty acids and inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response (Hong et al., 2018)
Gut microbiota effect	Support of growth of the probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium animalis and reduction in plasma TNF-α following consumption of whole cricket powder in humans, suggesting improved gut health and reduced systemic inflammation (Stull et al., 2018)
Health-span and lifespan	Increased health-span and lifespan of Drosophila fed mature silkworm larval powder (Nguyen et al., 2016)

Table 1. Potential health benefits of edible insects

Effect

Findings

In vitro studies

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity relevant to hypertension treatment

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity of peptides from various insect species similar to that of bioactive compounds from other animals (Cito et al., 2017). Elevated angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity of hydrolysates following gastrointestinal digestion of various insects (Vercruysse et al., 2005; Vercruysse et al., 2008; Wu et al., 2011)

Antioxidant activity

Antioxidant capacities of water and liposoluble extracts from several insect species 2–3 times higher than those of orange juice and olive oil (Di Mattia et al., 2019)

Anticarcinogenic activity

Potential anticancer activity of various proteins, peptides (Slocinska et al., 2008) and alkaloids (Pettit et al., 2005) contained in insects as well as of crude insect-derived extracts (Ahn et al., 2000)

In vivo studies

Hypolipidemic activity

Lipid metabolism of rats affected by omega-3 α-linolenic acid-rich silkworm chrysalis oil, suggesting improvements of hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia (Mentang et al., 2011). Reductions in body weight gain as well as levels of total cholesterol, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and plasma triacylglycerol in rats following administration of chitooligosaccharides from chitosan of larvae skin (Clanis bilineata) (Xia et al., 2013)

Antiobesity effect

Attenuation of body weight gain in obese mice fed a high-fat diet following administration of yellow mealworm larvae powder (Seo et al., 2017). Dose-dependent reduction in body weight gain, organ weight and adipose tissue volume of mice following administration of Korean horn beetle larvae (Yoon et al., 2015). Inhibition of lipase activity related to the digestion of dietary lipids following administration of house cricket and yellow mealworm extracts (Del Navarro Hierro et al., 2020)

Anti-hepatic steatosis activity

Preventive effects of silkworm larval powder regarding hepatic steatosis and injury in ethanol-treated rats through elevating fatty acid β-oxidation, reducing de novo synthesis of fatty acids and inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response (Hong et al., 2018)

Gut microbiota effect

Support of growth of the probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium animalis and reduction in plasma TNF-α following consumption of whole cricket powder in humans, suggesting improved gut health and reduced systemic inflammation (Stull et al., 2018)

Health-span and lifespan

Increased health-span and lifespan of Drosophila fed mature silkworm larval powder (Nguyen et al., 2016)