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Insect protein to support human skeletal muscle anabolism:A systematic review of randomised controlled trials
No full textCONTEXT: A global shift toward sustainable food sources is emerging due to the immense environmental pressure from the production of animal foods. Insects present a novel source of sustainable dietary protein, due to their high protein content and favourable amino acid profile.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to establish the effects of insect protein compared with animal protein on skeletal muscle anabolism and adaptation. This review also explores the usefulness of insects for supporting the protein needs of population groups with high protein requirements.DATA SOURCES: Database searches were performed using the search terms "edible insects" and "insect protein," plus the key words "human health," "exercise," "anabolic response," "muscle protein synthesis," "skeletal muscle," "muscle adaptation," "lean mass," and "bioavailability." Studies had to be randomised controlled trials conducted with adult human participants (aged >18 years) that measured protein bioavailability, anabolic response, or skeletal muscle adaptation, with direct comparison between insect and animal protein.DATA EXTRACTION: Four studies (n = 100 participants) were included in the review. Of the two studies that assessed only postprandial blood amino acid concentration, one reported higher aminoacidemia from cricket compared with beef protein ingestion, and the other reported higher aminoacidemia from whey compared with lesser mealworm protein ingestion. Two studies also directly assessed the postprandial skeletal muscle anabolic response after exercise. Both reported lower peak plasma amino acid concentration from cricket or lesser mealworm protein compared with whey or milk protein, but there was no difference in skeletal muscle anabolism between the insect and animal protein sources.CONCLUSION: Insects are a viable protein source that can likely support skeletal muscle anabolism to the same extent as conventional animal protein but with a considerably lower environmental impact. Insects could be an effective protein source to facilitate skeletal muscle during challenging life circumstances or for those with physically demanding occupations.</p
Valorisation of spent mushroom substrate by secondary microbial fermentation
No full textGlobal mushroom production exceeds 45 million tonnes, involving growth on a lignocellulosic substrate. More than 70% of these mushrooms are considered wild mushrooms that are grown on a lignocellulose substrate. At the end of the growth cycle, the remaining spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is considered waste with little value and is often discarded. The limited information available on the fibre content remaining in SMS indicates that different white-rot fungi can result in significant differences in the hemicellulose and lignin content, which in turn may impact the second fermentation step. Secondary fermentation has found uses in the production of biofuels, as a preserved ruminant feed, for enzyme production, in the formation of microbial compounds, and as an amended fertiliser. Finally, achieving secondary fermentation of SMS could involve the development and use of larger-scale solid-state fermentation. This review article has shown that research into secondary fermentation of SMS has been a relatively new field occurring over the past 14 years. Graphical abstract
