Employing a variety of processes to extracting protein from insects could increase the number of use cases for this alternative protein, according to research from Korea University.
The study, which evaluated four potential techniques for processing insect proteins, determined that each one could come with specific benefits. Alkali extraction, for example, resulted in a higher finished protein content, while an enzyme treatment boosted the protein’s antioxidant capacity, according to Yookyung Kim, one of the study’s authors and a professor of food science at Korea University in Seoul. Enzyme and salt-assisted extraction methods produced protein concentrates with interesting anti-hyperglycemia properties. And enzyme and screw press extractions not only preserved greater amounts of bioactive compounds, but could also offer significant environmental benefits, according to Kim.
“What we find most exciting about the results is the varied benefits each extraction method offers,” Kim said. “These findings suggest that different extraction methods can be tailored to maximize specific health benefits, making the research incredibly promising for developing functional food products.”
The functional properties of a given processing technique could also affect which extraction method feed formulators select, Kim said. Enzyme-treated extracts, for example, have a very low molecular weight that could make gelling difficult. Alkali extracts, on the other hand, have a lower solubility, which would make them less suitable for liquid feed, Kim said.
Although Kim works primarily in human food production and has not previously conducted research on livestock feed, she said she plans to do more work in animal feed now that a graduate student interested in using insects in livestock feed has joined her lab.
This particular study, which was funded by a government institution, aimed to identify protein extraction methods that could be more easily applied on farms, Kim said. This contributed to the decision to focus on extraction methods that are already commercially feasible — including some options such as the screw press that are less common but still employed in other food-producing industries.
Future research, Kim said, will consider novel and emerging extraction techniques, such as extraction processes that involve fermentation. The potential cost of each extraction method also requires further study, Kim said, although she estimated that the enzyme and screw press methods would likely prove more cost effective.