| 1. |
- Aleknavičius, D., et al.
(författare)
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Can crickets recognise bacterially contaminated feed? Gryllus assimilis odour perception of Escherichia coli
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. - 2352-4588. ; 9:7, s. 947-954
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Edible crickets Acheta domesticus and Gryllus assimilis are worldwide mass-reared insects. They are recognised as a sustainable source of protein in the food and feed industries and, in relation to this, must comply with food safety requirements. In this study, we assessed the self-protective ability of crickets to recognise potentially hazardous bacteria-contaminated feed. A two-choice test was carried out to estimate the crickets’ preference between the bacteria-contaminated and control feed. Three bacterial species were tested as potential contaminants: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. A. domesticus did not recognise feed contaminated with any of the bacterial species tested. G. assimilis avoided E. coli-contaminated feed, while the other two bacteria did not cause differences in feeding behaviour. The study of gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection showed that E. coli released a volatile compound, which was olfactory perceived by both males and females of G. assimilis. The compound was identified as indole. In a behavioural test, crickets spent less time feeding on indole-contaminated feed compared to control feed. Hence, indole induced an avoidance response in G. assimilis. It can be concluded that G. assimilis perceives and recognises some bacteria contaminants and thereby avoids spoiled feed.
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| 2. |
- Berggren, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Using current systems to inform rearing facility design in the insect-as-food industry
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 4, s. 167-170
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As wild harvesting of insects gives way to mass rearing, there is an urgent need to develop expertise and methods in insect animal husbandry and facility design. In order to advance the science of animal husbandry and production in this field, comparisons and contrasts of different insect rearing facilities currently in production are likely to be beneficial. Here we initiate this discussion by suggesting a focus on insect rearing facilities at the two ends of the production scale spectrum (small-scale rearing and mass rearing) that have different end products (insects-as-food and insects for other purposes). We suggest that organisations with a philosophy of information sharing (e.g. universities) need to play an active role in this developing production system, by bridging gaps between academia, industry and traditional knowledge to ensure a rapid and societally acceptable development of wide-scale entomophagy.
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| 3. |
- Cassi, Xavier Fernandez, et al.
(författare)
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Microbial communities and Food safety aspects of crickets (Acheta domestica) reared under controlled conditions
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 6, s. 429-440
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In an approach combining microbiological culture methods with high-throughput sequencing, this study investigated the microbial communities (bacteria, moulds and yeasts) in Swedish-produced edible crickets (Acheta domesticus) reared in a controlled environment. The effects of different feeds on microbial loads and populations in crickets were also studied. The crickets used were third-generation offspring from wild-caught individuals from Sweden, which are adapted to grow in a laboratory environment. The efficiency of rinsing to decrease microbial load was evaluated not obtaining a significant decrease of plating counts for total aerobic counts (TAC) and Enterobacteriaceae. Crickets were divided into three batches and fed different diets (control feed, early-cut red clover hay (ECH), late-cut fresh red clover (LCF)) for 62 days. Bacterial numbers (TAC and Enterobacteriaceae) on whole raw crickets ranged between 7 and 8 log cfu/g. Pre-rinsing in water did not reduce these levels (P=0.19). All batches tested negative for the food-borne bacteria Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens. The mean mould count for crickets fed control feed was 2.8 log cfu/g, while the values for crickets fed ECH and LCF were 4.2 and 4.5 log cfu/g, respectively. The dominant bacterial communities were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, with Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominating in crickets fed control feed, Firmicutes dominating in crickets fed LCF and Proteobacteria dominating in crickets fed ECH. Aspergillus flavus, a fungus that is capable of producing mycotoxins, was detected in control feed and ECH reared crickets. More work is needed to identify specific food-borne pathogens in edible crickets and establish possible bacterial quality reference values, as an important step in developing microbial quality and safety parameters to ensure consumer safety.
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| 4. |
- Cassi, Xavier Fernandez, et al.
(författare)
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The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) as a novel food: a risk profile
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 5, s. 137-157
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Novel foods represent sustainable alternatives to traditional farming and conventional foodstuffs. The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is considered as one of the most promising reared insects due to their attractive nutritional profile and lower feed conversion ratio compared to other animals. However, putative health hazards associated with consumption of crickets have previously not been investigated. The present study assesses the risks of A. domesticus reared in closed systems controlled by the implementation of hazard analysis and critical control points and good farming practices. Due to the novelty of the topic, data scarcity has been a limiting factor, hence comparative evidence from closely related species belonging to the order Orthoptera (e.g. grasshoppers, locusts, and other cricket species) have been included. The present risk profile identified as main hazards: (1) high total counts of aerobic bacteria; (2) presence of spore-forming bacteria post thermal processing; (3) accumulation of cadmium and other heavy metals; and (4) a possible increase of allergenic reactions due to exposure to insects and insect derived products. Important data gaps regarding edible crickets and their safety as novel foods have been highlighted in the future perspective section, representing aims for future research. Identified data gaps include: (1) farming conditions of the insects being studied; (2) data on the impact of thermal processing of the products prior to consumption; (3) fungal communities and mycotoxins-producing fungi in reared crickets; and (4) heavy metals not fully assessed (chromium, aluminium and arsenic) and other chemical hazards produced during processing (i.e. heterocyclic aromatic amines, acrylamide). The present risk profile explores food safety risks related to consumption of A. domesticus, thereby constituting an example of chemical and microbial hazards risk profiling on edible insects, covering rearing to consumption.
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| 5. |
- Cholleti, Harindranath, et al.
(författare)
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House crickets (Othroptera: Gryllidae: Acheta domesticus) reared in small-scale laboratory conditions harbour limited viral flora
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 8, s. 1149-1155
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Insects, such as crickets, are being used as a viable food source in many regions of the world, given their nutritional value for human and animal consumption. This study investigated the viral communities present in European house crickets and whether feed influences the composition of the crickets’ virome. The crickets were reared under environmentally controlled conditions and fed fresh red clover (fresh), red clover haylage (haylage), red clover hay (hay) or control feed. The viral metagenomic analysis of six replicates from each feed treatment showed that only a few reads were classified as viruses, mainly assigned to phages and insect-related viruses. A significant difference (P<0.001) was observed between the different treatments in regard to the number of viral reads. The highest number of viral reads was identified in the fresh treatment (2,568 reads), whereas the control treatment had the fewest viral reads (90). Phages were identified in all the treatments; however, they were clearly dominant in the fresh and hay feed treatments. A limited number of insect and plant viral reads from Xinmoviridae, Polydnaviridae, Metaviridae, unclassified and ‘other’ viruses were also found in all the feed treatments. The results from this study may indicate that the feed for the crickets determines the richness of the viral flora of crickets, but overall, very few viral reads were identified, making it hard to draw any conclusion regarding the impact of the feed on viral richness.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Inacio, Ana Carolina, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of starvation on fat content and microbial load in edible crickets (Acheta domesticus)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 7, s. 1143-1147
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interest in insects as food is increasing worldwide, particularly in industrialised countries. Insect-based ingredients are considered novel foods in Europe and there are unresolved concerns regarding food safety. Microbial counts in insects can be high, posing potential health risks to consumers and possibly causing rapid deterioration by spoilage microorganisms. Gut emptying by starvation prior to killing could reduce the microbial load in the insect gut but could also lead to fat loss and lower energy content, reducing the profitability of production. This study evaluated the microbial load (total aerobic counts (TAC), Enterobacteriaceae) in house crickets (Acheta domesticus) starved for 0 h (control), 24 h, and 48 h, and the corresponding fat losses. The 24 h starvation group showed significantly lower (P=0.004) Enterobacteriaceae counts of one log cfu/g, but not TAC, (compared to the control group). TAC was significantly increased (P=0.002), by almost one log cfu/g in the 48 h starvation group compared with the control. Sex of the insects had no significant effect on microbial numbers (P=0.72 and P=0.46 for TAC and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively). Starvation for 24 h decreased fat content in crickets (P=0.02), indicating potential production losses. This shows that starvation is not an effective method for reducing microbial loads in edible crickets.
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| 8. |
- Karltun, Linley Chiwona
(författare)
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Modelling habitat and spatial distribution of the edible insect Henicus whellani Chop (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae) in south-eastern districts of Zimbabwe
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 4, s. 229-238
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Edible insects present unique opportunities for food and nutrition security in many African communities. However, the characteristics of habitats and spatial distribution of edible insects is not known and yet it is important for understanding their ecology, planning harvesting and conservation activities in the wild. The edible ground cricket (Henicus whellani) Chopard (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae) is an edible insect consumed in south eastern Zimbabwe with protein content > 50% on dry matter basis but harvesting is largely random and opportunistic. The aim of this study was to apply the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) presence-only species distribution modelling approach to understand the factors influencing distribution of H. whellani and map the potential areas for harvesting and conservation of the species. Geographical locations of sites where H. whellani is currently present were obtained from field reports from communities. Seven geographical factors which are mean annual temperature, temperature seasonality, mean annual precipitation, seasonality of precipitation, soil type, elevation, vegetation density and land cover were used to run the model. The model showed a high prediction accuracy for H. whellani (AUC=0.86) indicating that the model can be used with confidence to predict distribution and potential habitats in S. E Zimbabwe. Results showed that soil type (46.7%) and vegetation density (17.5%) are the most important factors determining the distribution of H. whellani. The hotspots for H. whellani were identified and closely followed specific soil and vegetation gradients in the area. The model considered temperature (3.9%) and elevation (0.6%) as the least important factors in H. whellani distribution. The produced distributed maps can be used for planning efficient harvesting and conservation of this nutritious edible insect in Zimbabwe.
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| 9. |
- Khalil, Sammar, et al.
(författare)
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Fertiliser effect on Swiss chard of black soldier fly larvae-frass compost made from food waste and faeces
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 7, s. 457-469
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inadequate organic waste management can have adverse health effects and pollute the environment. If the energy and nutrients in organic waste were to be used efficiently, they could increase food security. Composting using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae can convert organic waste into two valuable products: organic fertiliser, in the form of treatment residues, and animal feed protein, in the form of larvae. To demonstrate the feasibility of using BSF treatment residues as organic fertiliser, more knowledge is needed about the effect of BSF larvae-frass compost on plant growth and performance. This study examined the effect on growth of Swiss chard of five fertiliser treatments: (1) BSF larvae-frass compost of human faeces (BSF-F); (2) BSF larvae-frass compost of food waste (BSF-FW); (3) cow manure (CM), the most commonly used organic fertiliser globally; (4) an inorganic fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK); and (5) a negative control with no fertiliser. The results revealed that BSF larvae-frass compost of human faeces and food waste gave comparable yields to inorganic fertilisers, and significantly higher yields than the unfertilised control. The percentage increase in fresh weight of leaves in the treatments compared to the unfertilised control were 132% for BSF-FW, 115% for BSF-F, 118% for NPK and 86% for CM. Principal component analysis ( PCA) showed that all treatments involving fertiliser gave differences in soil nutrient concentrations. PCA also revealed a positive correlation between soil nitrate concentration and yield. Thus, using BSF larvae-frass compost as fertiliser could be a way of efficiently returning plant nutrients in faeces and organic waste to the food chain.
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| 10. |
- Lalander, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Actions needed before insects can contribute to a real closed-loop circular economy in the EU
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 8, s. 337-342
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Insects are the waste managers of nature and could play a vital role in closing the loop of nutrients from society back into the food industry and thereby reduce the environmental impact of our food production system, as is the aim of EU's Farm to Fork strategy. Insects can be used to convert biodegradable waste into their own biomass that can be used as food or in animal feed, thus linking waste management to food production. However, food safety regulations prevent the use of around 70% of available food waste in the EU as rearing substrate for insects. To tap into the true environmental benefits of insects as an alternative protein source, they have to be reared on mixed food waste. The main reason for the food safety regulation is the outbreak of Mad Cow disease (BSE) in the 1980s, caused by prions (misfolded proteins). The circular system that gave rise to Mad Cow disease is the most closed loop system possible. Using insects in waste management to convert bio-waste into animal feed does not entail such a closed loop system, but rather introduces an extra barrier to disease transmission. In order to fully tap into the benefits of insects as an alternative protein source, it is crucial that funds are allocated to determine whether prions are truly a risk in a circular insect food production system.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Phalla, Miech, et al.
(författare)
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Apparent faecal digestibility and nitrogen retention in piglets fed whole and peeled Cambodian field cricket meal
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 3, s. 279-288
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study evaluated diets including whole or peeled (legs removed) crickets (Teleogryllus testaceus) in terms of diet digestibility, growth and nitrogen retention, using pigs as an animal model. The experiment included three iso-nitrogenous diets (18.4% crude protein) including either whole cricket meal (WC), body cricket meal (legs removed, BC) or fish meal (control) as the main protein source. Castrated male piglets (n=21, 30-45 days) with initial body weight 13.0±0.3 kg were allocated to one of the dietary treatments (7 piglets/treatment) in a fixed block design. The piglets were kept in single bamboo/wooden stalls with slatted floors and were adapted to the feeds and the housing for 5 days before starting the 25-day experiment. The diets were offered ad libitum, but close to appetite (approximately 5% of body weight). Feed intake was recorded and piglets were weighed every 5 days. During days 20-25, total collection of faeces and urine was performed. Dry matter and nutrient intake were higher for piglets fed the WC and BC diets than for those fed the control diet. From day 10, piglets fed BC and WC were heavier than piglets fed the control diet, but there were no differences between WC and BC. Dry matter digestibility was highest for diet WC, and ash, crude fibre and crude fat digestibility was higher for BC and WC than for the control diet. Feed conversion ratio was lower for the WC and BC diets than for the control diet, and nitrogen retention (% of digested) was higher. We concluded that field cricket meal is a nutritious feedstuff for mono-gastric animals, and most likely also for humans. Removal of legs did not facilitate or improve the digestibility values and nitrogen retention. Thus, in order to minimise food waste, crickets should not be peeled in this way if they are going to be processed into meal.
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| 13. |
- Phalla, Miech, et al.
(författare)
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Growth and survival of reared Cambodian field crickets (Teleogryllus testaceus) fed weeds, agricultural and food industry by-products
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 2, s. 285-292
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study evaluated survival and growth of Cambodian field crickets (Teleogryllus testaceus) during captivity when fed a set of local weed species, agricultural and food industry by-products. Wild individuals were caught at two locations in Cambodia, kept in pens and fed commercial chicken feed until the second generation off-spring hatched. First larval stage nymphs from this generation were collected and used in a 70-day feeding trial with one control treatment (chicken feed) and 12 experimental treatments (rice bran, cassava plant tops, water spinach, spent grain, residue from mungbean sprout production, and Alternanthera sessilis, Amaranthus spinosus, Commelina benghalensis, Cleome rutidosperma, Cleome viscosa, Boerhavia diffusa and Synedrela nodiflora). The crickets were kept in plastic cages and feed intake, weight and survival of crickets were recorded weekly. Overall survival did not differ between chicken feed and the experimental treatments with the exception of crickets fed B. diffusa, which had lower survival. From day 35 to day 49, survival on A. sessilis was also lower (P<0.05) than on chicken feed. There was no difference in weight between crickets fed chicken feed, cassava tops and C. rutidosperma. However, crickets fed A. sessilis, A. spinosus and B. diffusa weighed less than those fed chicken feed already at day 21. The feed conversion rate ranged from 1.6 to 3.9 and was ≤1.9 in crickets fed chicken feed, cassava plant tops and C. rutidosperma. Thus this study shows that it is possible, using simple means, to rear Cambodian field crickets. Cassava plant tops and C. rutidosperma both have great potential as cricket feed and the other weeds, with the exception of A. sessilis, A. spinosus and B. diffusa, agricultural and food industry by-products tested, also showed potential.
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| 14. |
- Röcklinsberg, Helena
(författare)
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Ethical aspects of insect production for food and feed
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 2, s. 101-110
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Given a growing global human population and high pressures on resources, interest in insects as a source of protein for human food (entomophagy) and for animal feed is growing. So far, the main issues discussed have been the embedded technical challenges of scaling up the production. The use of insects as a major human food and feed source is thought to present two major challenges: (1) how to turn insects into safe, tasty socially acceptable feed and food; and (2) how to cheaply yet sustainably produce enough insects? Entomophagy, however, as any utilisation of animals and the rest of nature also entails ethical issues - both regarding the impact on human health, the environment and climate change and regarding production methods such as intensification and biotechnology. The aim of the paper is to give a systematic overview of ethical aspects embedded in the notion of utilising insects as protein providers in the Western food and feed production chains. We identify five areas where ethical questions are especially pertinent: environmental impact, human and animal health, human preferences and social acceptability, animal welfare and finally broader animal ethics issues. Especially the latter two are more scantly dealt with in the literature. This part of the review will therefore contain suggestions for ethical issues that should be examined closer.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Thorsson, Elina, et al.
(författare)
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Histochemical localisation of carbonic anhydrase in the digestive tract and salivary glands of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 6, s. 191-198
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is one of several cricket species with great potential to be farmed as a sustainable protein source. In order to succeed in large-scale cricket farming, knowledge of cricket digestion is essential. The digestive tract morphology of A. domesticus is well documented, but knowledge of the salivary glands is lacking. In the digestive tract of insects, the carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme family is believed to contribute to the luminal pH gradient. Presence of CA in the digestive tract of A. domesticus has been reported, but not the cellular localisation. This study examined the digestive tract of A. domesticus, including salivary glands, and the cellular localisation and activity of CA in fed or starved (48 h) males and females. Tissues were collected from third-generation offspring of wild A. domesticus captured in Sweden and the histology of the salivary glands and the cellular localisation of CA in the digestive tract of A. domesticus were determined, to our knowledge for the first time. The salivary glands resembled those of grasshoppers and locusts, and we suggest the two main cell types present to be parietal and zymogenic cells. Histochemical analysis revealed that CA activity was localised in midgut epithelium, both main cell types of salivary gland, and muscle along the entire digestive tract. These findings support the suggestion that CA contributes to digestive tract luminal pH gradient, by driving acidic secretions from the salivary glands and alkaline secretions from the midgut. Starvation resulted in significantly reduced body size and weight, but neither starvation nor sex had any effect on CA activity or localisation.
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| 17. |
- Vaga, Merko, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of red clover-only diets on house crickets (Acheta domesticus) growth and survival
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 6, s. 179-189
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study evaluated the potential of red clover as a sole diet for house crickets (Acheta domesticus, AD) and the effect of ensiling or drying red clover biomass on growth, survival and water consumption of AD. Wild AD were caught near Uppsala, Sweden, and reared in a climate-controlled room under a 12-h light regime. One day-old third-generation cricket nymphs (n=2,880) were used in a 56-day feeding trial. The experimental diets (n=8) were early-cut (pre-bloom) and late-cut (late-bloom) red clover, preserved as frozen-fresh, dry-silage, haylage and hay, and a control diet. All clover diets were fed as sole diets with salt block available ad libitum in every treatment. Feed dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio ( FCR, kg feed dry matter per kg weight gain), number and weight of crickets and water consumption were recorded every five days. FCR was higher for late-cut than early cut-red clover, but overall cricket weight and survival rate did not differ between cutting times (P=0.939). FCR, weight and survival were not affected by forage conservation method. Total feed consumption was highest for red clover hay. Crickets fed red clover diets had lower (P<0.01) weight and higher FCR than crickets fed the control diet, but their survival rate was not different from that of control crickets during the first 25 days of life. Water consumption of AD fed the control diet was about half that reported for pigs and poultry. Crickets fed on fresh red cover had lower (P=0.04) water consumption compared with crickets fed dried or ensiled red clover, but ensiling did not reduce water consumption compared with hay. Red clover cannot be recommended as a sole feedstuff for AD, but early and latecut red clover had similar effects. The possibility to partly include late cut red clover in cricket diets is interesting from an ecosystem service perspective since the flowering crop will provide feed for declining populations of bees and other pollinators.
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| 18. |
- Vaga, Merko, et al.
(författare)
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Growth, survival and development of house crickets (Acheta domesticus) fed flowering plants
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 7, s. 151 - 161
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- House crickets (Acheta domesticus) are increasingly being used as food. This has the potential for a more efficient food production that also may benefit agroecosystems. As the first study to compare feeds based on European wild flowering plants as feed for house crickets we examined five common plants known to support biodiversity of wild insects (white clover (Trifolium repens), white nettle (Lamium album), common nettle (Urtica dioica), rough comfrey (Symphytum asperum) and common gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata). These plants and a control diet were fed as dried and sole feeds ad libitum to one-day-old house crickets for 62 days in a climate-controlled laboratory. Cricket weight, mortality and feed intake were recorded every 7 days. An additional test examined crickets preferences for forages and the effect on maturation and weight, by providing a free choice of rapeseed and wheat meal and either an early- or late-cut red clover (Trifolium pratense) or white nettle for 62 days. Mortality of crickets fed common nettle, rough comfrey and common gypsophila exceeded 80% in first 7 days, so these plants were removed from the trial after 14 days. Survival of crickets on white nettle and control feed was 59% after 28 days and average cricket weight was similar. By day 62, the weight of crickets fed white nettle and white clover was on average 32 mg, compared with 201 mg on control feed. In the free choice test, crickets consumed 15-30% red clover, 31-37% wheat meal and 39-64% rapeseed. Crickets with access to red clover showed a higher (P<0.001) proportion of adults (28%) compared with the control (5%). We conclude that white nettle has potential as feed for house crickets during the early growth stages, and that red clover supplementation increase cricket maturation. Using feeds including white nettle and red clover in cricket rearing additionally benefits to support wild biodiversity and lower feed costs.
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| 19. |
- Vossen, L. E., et al.
(författare)
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Fasting increases shelter use in house crickets (Acheta domesticus)
- 2022
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF INSECTS AS FOOD AND FEED. - : Wageningen Academic Publishers. - 2352-4588. ; 8:1, s. 5-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fasting, i.e. depriving the animals of food prior to harvesting, has been practised in the production of house crickets (Acheta domesticus). However, the effectiveness of this method in reducing microbial loads is still unclear. In addition, there may be costs of fasting to the organism, which could compromise product quality and animal welfare. Here, we analysed spontaneous behaviour displayed after 0, 24 or 48 hours of fasting. We show that after 48 hours of fasting, shelter use was increased and the duration spent on the exposed area of the floor was decreased. The same trend was seen after 24 hours fasting. Moreover, in both fasting treatments, a strong reduction in grooming was seen. We conclude that, in the absence of a microbial lowering effect of fasting and considering the current finding that fasting induces behavioural responses in crickets, there is currently no scientific support for using fasting in cricket production.
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| 20. |
- Vossen, L. E., et al.
(författare)
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Open field behavior in the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) : effect of illumination, sex differences and individual consistency
- 2023
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF INSECTS AS FOOD AND FEED. - : Wageningen Academic Publishers. - 2352-4588. ; 9:3, s. 317-324
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Edible insects are worldwide promoted as an alternative protein, trace mineral and lipid source in animal feed and human food. The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is already being reared at an industrial scale, yet current massrearing practices and facility design may still leave room for improvement. Behavioral tests have been suggested as an important assessment tool at the whole-organism level that can be used to find optimal housing conditions (e.g. density, diet, temperature). Here, we adapt the widely used open field test to the house cricket. We tested 16 male and 16 female house crickets four times under two different light intensities. Videos were analysed with EthovisionT tracking software and variables distance moved, velocity, and duration and frequency in zone were extracted. Results showed that house crickets, like vertebrate model species, spent most time close to the walls of the arena, and crossed the center zone with high velocity. Brighter illumination was associated with increased velocity, in particular in the center zone during the first test occasion, suggesting avoidance of this zone. Male crickets had higher locomotory activity than females. Consistency repeatabilities and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were moderate to high, and the correlation between subsequent occasions became stronger over the four occasions at day 1, 2, 3 and 7. The first test occasion differed from subsequent occasions, therefore repeated testing may be necessary when analysing experimental manipulations of small effect size. Overall, the results are promising for use of the open field test as a precise phenotyping tool.
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| 21. |
- Wiklicky, Viktoria, et al.
(författare)
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Enhancing reproducibility in black soldier fly research
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of insects as food and feed. - 2352-4588. ; 10, s. 359–362-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the past decade, there has been a steady increase in research focused on insects as food and feed, integrated with waste management and fertiliser production, with notable attention given to the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF). Extensive knowledge has been developed regarding waste bioconversion and characterisation of the products generated (larval biomass and frass). However, the diverse range of rearing methods for BSF larvae (BSFL) has led to equally diverse outcomes. This confusion can lead to new research in the field of BSF being conducted using sub-optimal BSFL treatment conditions. In this editorial we propose that calibration procedures within distinct research areas should be considered when planning new BSFL experiments.
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