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Featured Application: The developed indirect sandwich ELLA offers a practical solution for the routine screening and detection of insects in food processing facilities, and holds promise for implementation by inspection authorities. Edible insects have been officially classified as food in the European Union since 2015. Currently, four insect species are approved for food use. However, no official method for detecting insects in food has been recognized to date. To establish a simple analytical method for insect detection in food, we developed an indirect sandwich (enzyme-linked lectin sorbent assay) ELLA specific for N-acetylglucosamine in chitin and chitosan polymers. The validation of the method demonstrated that the ELLA developed in this study is reliable for insect detection. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.006 and 0.028 mg/mL, respectively. Intra-day precision ranged from 2.45% to 30.29%, and inter-day precision from 0.36% to 12.87%. Significant differences in the total amount of chitin and chitosan were observed among the insect products, processed insect products, and samples without any insect addition (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objective of the work was the analysis and description of data on body composition and resting energy expenditure (REE) values of selected groups of patients with obesity whose REE measurement results using indirect calorimetry reached a level below 95% of the predicted REE calculated using the Harris–Benedict (H–B) equation. The sub-goals were to describe the dependence of body composition on the size of the REE and to find out if the deviations between the number of the total measured REE and the REE calculated using H–B in the adapted group (patients with altered REE values, lower than expected caused by long caloric restriction) are significant. Methods: For the research, 71 (39 women and 32 men) patients treated in obesitology were selected. Patients underwent the measurement of resting metabolism using indirect calorimetry (IC) and body composition measurement on the bioimpedance device and, at the same time, the value of resting metabolism was calculated for everyone using the H–B equation. The whole group was divided into five groups according to the deviation of the measurement using IC and the calculation of the H–B equation. Results: In the total set of examined individuals, there were 32.4% with a reduced REE value compared to the REE calculation according to the H–B equation, which corresponds to 23 individuals. In the adapted group, the average measured REE was 2242 ± 616 kcal compared to the H–B calculation of 2638 ± 713 kcal. Statistically, these results were not significant, but a high case-to-case variation was found. The highest deviation from the H–B predictive calculation was −42% and +43% in the whole research group. The amount of muscle tissue in the adapted group averaged 44.3 ± 11.9 kg and the amount of fat-free mass (FFM) 77.9 ± 20.1 kg. When statistically testing the dependence of REE on FFM and muscle tissue in the adapted group, a strong correlation was found. Conclusions: The H–B equation alone is not suitable for setting a suitable diet therapy for an individual with obesity. In order to select and characterize a group of adapted individuals, it will be necessary to use other methods or a larger research sample, and preferably examine and divide patients with specific comorbidities or include their health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the effect of killing (blanching and freezing) followed by culinary processing on the microbiological quality of Tenebrio molitor and Gryllus assimilis. These insects were subjected to starvation before killing, which does not ensure sufficient microbiological safety. Therefore, technological or culinary processing of insects is necessary before consumption. For the subsequent processing of insects, boiling, drying, roasting, and microwave treatment were used. Nine categories of microbiological parameters were selected as indicators of hygienic quality. All identification and enumeration were performed using ISO-compliant methods. The results showed that killing insects by blanching or freezing alone does not ensure sufficient microbiological quality, and therefore, further culinary processing is necessary. However, all subsequent culinary treatments applied in this study were able to reduce the microbial load significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foods enriched with insects can potentially prevent several health disorders, including cardiovascular diseases, by reducing inflammation and improving antioxidant status. In this study, Tenebrio molitor and Gryllus assimilis were selected to determine the effect on the development of atherosclerosis in ApoE/LDLR−/− mice. Animals were fed AIN-93G-based diets (control) with 10% Tenebrio molitor (TM) and 10% Gryllus assimilis (GA) for 8 weeks. The nutritional value as well as antioxidant activity of selected insects were determined. The lipid profile, liver enzyme activity, and the fatty acid composition of liver and adipose tissue of model mice were evaluated. Quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic lesions in the entire aorta was performed using the en face method, and for aortic roots, the cross-section method was used. The antioxidant status of the GA cricket was significantly higher compared to the TM larvae. The results showed that the area of atherosclerosis (en face method) was not significantly different between groups. Dietary GA reduced plaque formation in the aortic root; additionally, significant differences were observed in sections at 200 and 300 µm compared to other groups. Furthermore, liver enzyme ALT activity was lower in insect-fed groups compared to the control group. The finding suggests that a diet containing edible insect GA potentially prevents atherosclerotic plaque development in the aortic root, due to its high antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cucamelon (Meltric scabra Naudin, Cucurbitaceae) is a climbing, herbaceous perennial plant with various culinary and medicinal uses. The current study aimed to develop novel autopolyploid genotypes of M. scabra through in vitro polyploidization and assess their morphological and phytochemical characteristics. For polyploid induction, oryzalin was employed as an antimitotic agent, and it was applied at various concentrations (40, 60, and 80 μM) and durations (24 and 48 h). Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the successful induction of polyploids, with polyploidization efficiency ranging from 2.5% to 15%. From a total of 240 treated plants, a total of 20 autotetraploid plants were obtained. The obtained polyploid and control diploid genotypes were cultivated under greenhouse conditions. Further, the plants were transferred to field conditions, and the leaves, flowers, and fruits were harvested to be evaluated for the morphological, biochemical, and biological activity variations among the obtained genotypes. Morphological comparisons between diploid and autotetraploid plants revealed significant differences in flower characteristics, fruit attributes, and leaf morphology. Nutritional evaluation demonstrated enhancement of key parameters in the induced polyploids compared to the diploid plants, including glucose, fructose, carotenoid, polyphenol, and antioxidant contents, highlighting the potential impact of polyploidization on these traits. The results from this study highlight the potential of artificial chromosome doubling as an effective breeding strategy in M. scabra and related plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Výživa a Potraviny is the property of Spolecnost pro Vyzivu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Výživa a Potraviny is the property of Spolecnost pro Vyzivu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)