Characterization of protein concentrates obtained by defatting cricket, locust, and silkworm powders using one-step organic solvent extraction
Alleda Rose, Yu‐Chun Chiu, Casey Showman, Kang‐Mo Ku, Jacek Jaczynski, Kristen E. Matak
Abstract
Nutritional and functional properties were determined on proteins recovered from cricket, locust, and silkworm using a one-step organic solvent (OS) lipid extraction process. Hexane (H), chloroform (C), methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), hexane:isopropanol (HI, 3.2, vol:vol) and chloroform:methanol (CM, 2:1, vol:vol) was used as the extraction solvents. Proximate composition, SDS-page, amino acid (AA) profile, and solubility were measured on the defatted insect powders. H and MTBE was the most effective OS tested, with the greatest concentration of protein and least lipid (p < 0.05) in the defatted insect powders. SDS-Page revealed a variety of proteins in each of the samples. The AA concentrations were increased in all H and MTBE samples. Defatted insect powders were most soluble between pH 11 and pH 12 when MTBE or H was used as the OS. Results show H or MTBE has the potential to extract lipids and concentrate protein from insect powders. Protein concentrates were developed by defatting insect powders (cricket, locust, silkworm) with a one-step extraction process that tested different organic solvents (OS). The resulting protein concentrates contained on average 75% protein and amino acid concentrations were increased. Results showed that of the OS tested, hexane or methyl-tert-butyl ether were most effective at removing lipids and concentrating protein from insect powders.