Supercritical fluid extraction of oil and minor compounds from black welded fly larva flour (Hermetia illucens): characterization of the extract, flour and its use in food formulation

• Grant number: 21/01579-9
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2021 - September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal researcher: Alessandra Lopes de Oliveira
• Grantee: Alessandra Lopes de Oliveira
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Marco Antonio Trindade

Abstract

The increase in food production is related to population growth, so there is a search for new food sources, one of them, entomophagy (eating insects). Insects have high concentrations of compounds with nutritional properties, are sources of essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and also have bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants and phenolic compounds. In view of this, the interest arose in studying a process of oil clean extraction from the larvae of the welded fly (Hermetia illucens) using extraction with supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and characterizing the composition of this oil, including minority compounds. In this research, the supercritical conditions for better extraction of oil, volatiles and other compounds will be studied. The use of this technology will make it possible to obtain two products free of any residue of organic solvents, an oleic extract rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and other bioactive compounds and defatted, highly protein insect flour. The composition and physicochemical properties of these two products will be evaluated. The defatted flour will be used in the protein enrichment of meat products (preparation of sausages) and in the study of the enrichment of wheat flour with defatted flour from the welded fly larva for the preparation of bread. The study on the characteristics of the mixture of wheat flour and insect flour and tests on bread formulation will be carried out at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). The sausages will be prepared in the Quality and Stability Laboratory of Meat and Meat Products (LaQuECa) of the Food Engineering department of FZEA/USP. It is expected to produce a meat product that is healthier due to the greater protein digestibility and well sensorially accepted. The results obtained in this research will collaborate, considerably, with the state of the art, because, in addition to the use of clean technology (without residues of organic solvents) in obtaining the oil whose active compounds will be identified, innovative foods will be developed. Relevant data on composition will be obtained and innovative products developed that may be made available on the market, a lipid product and a highly protein product. (AU)