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Evaluation of subchronic oral dose toxicity and allergen of freeze-dried powder of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) as a novel food source

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Abstract

The migratory locust, Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae), is a well-known edible insect which may serve as new source of human food and animal feed. However, potential toxicity and food safety of L. migratoria had not been investigated extensively until now. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate toxicity of freeze-dried powder of L. migratoria (fdLM) and identify allergic components in ELISA and PCR techniques. In this subchronic study, fdLM was administered once daily by oral gavage at the doses of 750, 1500, and 3000 mg/kg/day. No toxicological changes were observed in both sexes of rats for 13 weeks in accordance with the OECD guidelines and GLP conditions. In addition, fdLM did not induced increases of serum immunoglobulin E and 21 homologous proteins were not detected under our present conditions. In conclusion, the NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect level) was 3000 mg/kg/day and no target organ was identified in both sexes. In conclusion, we found that fdLM is safe with no adverse effects and offers the potential of its use as an edible ingredient or other biological uses.

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Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Agenda Program, Rural Development Administration in Republic of Korea [Grant No. PJ01352502]. We thank Roger Scott Fields (English editor) for his editing of our submission.

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  1. Sun Young Kim and Kyu-Won Kwak equally contributed to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Industrial Insect Division, Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, 55365, Republic of Korea

    Sun Young Kim, Kyu-Won Kwak, Ji Yeong Park, Hyung Joo Yoon, Yong-Soon Kim, Kwanho Park & Eunsun Kim

  2. Headquarters of GLP, Nonclinical Research Institute, Chemon Inc., 240, Nampyeong-Ro, Yangji-Myeon, Cheoin-Gu, Yongin-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 17162, Republic of Korea

    Eun-Sung Park, Chun-Ja Nam & Sun-Don Kim

  3. Bioconvergence Technology Laboratory, Korea Conformity Laboratories, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea

    Kyu Sup An & Hyeon Yeol Ryu

  4. Jeon-Nam Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Insect & Sericultural Research Institute, Jeonnam, 57214, Republic of Korea

    Hyun-** Kim

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  1. Sun Young Kim
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Kim, S.Y., Kwak, KW., Park, J.Y. et al. Evaluation of subchronic oral dose toxicity and allergen of freeze-dried powder of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) as a novel food source. Toxicol Res. 39, 317–331 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43188-023-00171-7

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