Minerals in edible insects:a review of content and potential for sustainable sourcing

In response to the rapid increase in world population and subsequent demands for food,edible insects represent an alternative food source for humans that is rich in proteins,amino acids and minerals.Entomophagy is a tradition in many countries including China and Thailand,and edible insects have attracted a lot of attention in Western World due to their suitable nutrient composition,high mineral content(e.g.,Fe,Zn,Ca,Mg)and potential use as a supplement in human diet.In this study,we surveyed mineral content in seven insect orders and 67 species of mass produced and wild-harvested edible insects.The total content of essential elements in edible insects was very high in Tenebrio molitor,Bombyx mori,and Zonocerus variegatus.The heavy metal content(summarized for eight species)was below the maximum limit allowed for safe consumption.Sustainable supply of minerals derived from insect biomass is complicated due to the high variations of mineral content in insects and the potential of its change due to processing.

Variety Selection and Green Cultivation Technology of Courtyard Ornamental and Edible Peppers

In order to comply with the development trend of the multifunctional use of peppers,we conducted an investigation into the characteristics and features of varieties,potting management techniques,and the methods of extending the fruit ornamental period and other aspects of courtyard ornamental and edible peppers.A set of cultivation techniques suitable for courtyard ornamental and edible peppers has been developed,including timely sowing and seedling,nutrient soil preparation,water and fertilizer management,trimming and pruning,preservation of flowers and fruits,green prevention and control of diseases and pests,harvesting,and so on.

Changes of structure and functional properties of rice protein in the fresh edible rice during the seed development

It has been reported that fresh edible rice has more bioactive compounds and its protein is easier to digest and has lower hypoallergenic than mature rice. In this paper, the changes in structure and functional properties of proteins at five different stages, including early milky stage(EMS), middle milky stage(MMS), late milky stage(LMS), waxy ripe stage(WS)and ripening stage(RS), during the seed development were investigated. It was found that with the seed developing, the molecular weight of fresh rice protein gradually become larger while the secondary structure changed from the highest content of disordered structure at MMS to the highest content of ordered structure at RS, which affect the surface hydrophobicity and then the functional properties of proteins, including foaming properties, emulsifying properties and oil holding capacity. Fresh rice protein at MMS has the strongest surface hydrophobicity while fresh edible rice protein at RS has the strongest oil holding capability. The results of our study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of fresh rice protein in the food industry and help to develop new fresh edible rice food.

Inheritance,Innovation and High-quality Development of Herbaceous Edible Oils in Hubei Province under the Strategy of Strengthening the Country with Intellectual Property

Only by improving the production capacity of domestic herbal edible oil can China ensure the safety of the supply chain of the important industrial chain of vegetable edible oil in China and practice the big food concept.In addition to rice,maize,and soybean for using as grain and oil,there are eight kinds of herbaceous edible oil crops in Hubei Province,including rape,peanut,sesame,sunflower,perilla(perilla seed),cotton,linen and tiger nut(Cyperus esculentus).This paper studies the main industries of herbaceous edible oil crops and their intellectual property resources in Hubei Province,and analyzes the main problems of its inheritance,innovation and high-quality development under the strategy of strengthening the country with intellectual property.Finally,it proposes the countermeasures of carrying forward and inheriting traditional knowledge and traditional culture,maintaining the biodiversity of crops,strengthening the creation of new plant varieties and breeding patents,and opening up the whole chain of intellectual property rights.

Intellectual Property Protection,Inheritance,Innovation and Development of Woody Edible Oilseeds in Hubei Province

Only by developing woody edible oilseeds industry can we ensure the safety of the important industrial chain and supply chain of vegetable edible oil in China.There are 13 kinds of woody edible oil plants in Hubei,including Camellia oleifera Abel(oil tea),Juglans regia L.(walnut),Olea europaea L.(olive)and Paeonia suffruticosa(oil peony).This paper studies the main industries of woody edible oilseeds in Hubei Province and their intellectual property resources,and analyzes the main problems in their intellectual property protection,inheritance,innovation and development.Finally,it proposes some strategies,including carrying forward the traditional knowledge related to woody edible oilseeds,innovating the"agricultural chip",creating key counties of national woody edible oil seeds,and developing industrial clusters with national advantages and characteristics.

Isolation and identification of four pathogenic bacterial strains from edible snake(Elaphe carinata and Ptyas mucosus)farms with pneumonia in China

This report describes an outbreak and treatment of pneumonia and enteritis in a snake farm with more than 3000 snakes containing Elaphe carinata(one-year-old)and Ptyas mucosus(three-month-old)seedlings in Huanggang,Hubei,China.Gentamicin was used once in the early stage as treatment,administered orally with water or feed by owners,but mortality increased.Lobar pneumonia was confirmed by dissection and histopathology in infected snakes.Four main pathogenic bacteria were isolated and identified with culture and 16S rRNA sequencing:Staphylococcus sciuri,Salmonella enteritis,Vagococcus fluvialis and Providencia vermicola.Drug susceptibility tests were performed,and amikacin,gentamicin and cefitriaxone were chosen accordingly.After two rounds of treatment,the clinical signs for Elaphe carinata were under control,and the mortality was close to 0%after treatment.However,treatments for Ptyas mucosus seedlings did not work well,potentially because of poor administration technique and weak body condition.

Simultaneous Determination of 2- and 3-MCPD Esters in Infant Formula Milk Powder and Edible Vegetable Oils by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Esters of 2- and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (MCPD) are significative contaminants of processed edible oils used as foods or food ingredients. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new method by GC-MS for the simultaneous quantification of 2 and 3-MCPD esters in infant milk powder and edible vegetable oils. The developed protocol included fat fraction in infant milk powder and edible vegetable oils samples was extracted and treated with sodium methylate-methanol to cleave the ester bonds of the 2- and 3-MCPD esters, moreover, standard samples of deuterium isotope-labeled 2- and 3-MCPD palmitic acid double esters and stearic acid double esters were used as the internal standards. Furthermore, this method was validated when it was applied to food products, concrete manifestation in its good accuracy (the recovery of MCPD esters ranged from 86% to 114%), high sensitivity (the LOD of 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD esters were 0.025 and 0.020 mg/kg, LOQ were 0.075, 0.060 mg/kg, respectively) and satisfactory repeatability (RSD below 6.8%) for all analytes. In the 150 commercial edible vegetable oils and infant formula milk powder samples, we obtained a preliminary profile of MCPD ester contamination.

Anti-lipid-oxidation effects and edible safety evaluation of the oil extracted by a supercritical CO_(2) process from coix seed fermented by Monascus purpureus

The physicochemical properties and composition of coix seed oil produced by Monascus purpureus fermentation and supercritical CO_(2)extraction were determined.Anti-lipid-oxidation and edible safety were evaluated using a cholesterol-fish oil model,acute oral toxicity assay,and genetic toxicity assay in vitro and in vivo,respectively.The results show that the extraction oil from fermented coix seed(FCS-O)had good physicochemical quality and abundant active components with physiological function.In particular,γ-tocotrienol,γ-oryzanol,coixenolide and oleic acid concentrations reached 72.83μg/g,745.96μg/g,9.65 mg/g and 316.58 mg/100 g DW,respectively.The FCS-O exhibited higher antioxidant capability in inhibiting lipid oxidation and peroxidation.Compared to the blank control,the concentrations of 7-ketocholestreol and peroxide only were 8.42μg/mL and 16.16 mmol/kg at 168 h of oxidation(P<0.01).In addition,the FCS-O has been confirmed to be a very safe edible oil,with no acute toxicity(LD50>10 g/kg bw,considered actually non-toxic)and no induced mutagenicity,cytotoxicity or genotoxicity.These results serve as a good safety reference for future application of the oil from fermented coix seed.The development and utilization of this kind of oil will be beneficial as a food,food ingredient,nutritional supplement,or natural food antioxidant to promote good health function.

Edible mushrooms as a potent therapeutics of subclinical thyroid dysfunction among adults,especially in obese individuals:a prospective cohort study

Background:Mushrooms are a good source of many nutrients which are potentially beneficial for chronic diseases.We speculated that due to its abundant nutrients edible mushrooms might have a beneficial effect on the prevention of subclinical thyroid dysfunction(SCTD).Therefore,we designed a large-scale cohort study to examine whether mushrooms consumption is a protective factor for SCTD in adults.Methods:This prospective cohort study investigated 6631 participants(mean age:(45.0±10.2)years;55.1%men).Edible mushrooms consumption was measured at baseline using a validated food frequency questionnaire.SCTD was defined as abnormal serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and normal free thyroxine.Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of edible mushrooms consumption with incident SCTD.Results:During follow-up period,a total of 262 new cases of SCTD were identified,the incidence rate of subclinical hypothyroidism was 8.9/1000 person-years and subclinical hyperthyroidism was 7.2/1000 person-years.After adjusting potential confounding factors,the multivariable hazard ratios(95%confidence intervals)for subclinical hypothyroidism were 1.00(reference)for almost never,0.53(0.29,0.97)for 1-3 times/week and 0.30(0.10,0.87)for≥4 times/week(P for trend=0.02).It also showed edible mushrooms consumption was inversely associated with subclinical hypothyroidism in obese individuals but not non-obese individuals,the final hazard ratios(95%confidence intervals)were 0.14(0.03,0.73)(P for trend<0.01).Conclusions:This population-based prospective cohort study has firstly demonstrated that higher edible mushrooms consumption was significantly associated with lower incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism among general adult population,especially in obese individuals.

Development of hyaluronic acid-based edible film for alleviating dry mouth

For alleviating dry mouth symptoms,edible films based on hyaluronic acid(HA)with 3 different m(800,1200 and 2300 kDa)were prepared(800 F,1200 F and 2300 F,respectively),and the properties as well as effectiveness were compared.The concentration of each HA dispersion for film forming was set as 3.0%,1.5%or 1.0%,for the m800,1200 and 2300 kDa,respectively,based on the solubility.The 800 F showed the highest thickness,tensile strength,and water vapor transparency,whereas obtained the lowest transparency and elongation at break among samples.All of the HA films showed safety against microorganism during 28 storage day at 40℃with 60%humidity.The optimum site for film attachment in mouth was the palate,and800 F was the most effective for stimulating saliva secretion,eliciting a 38%increase compared to control(without film),tested by the elderly over 65 years old.By the sensory test,800 F was also the most acceptable.Based on above results,the edible films effectively stimulating saliva secretion could be produced with HA,and the physical,sensory characteristics as well as disintegration times of the film could be controlled by mand the dissolution concentration of HA.

Sexual spores in edible mushroom: bioactive components, discharge mechanisms and effects on fruiting bodies quality

Edible mushroom sexual spores have been gaining more interest due to their bioactive components and functions.Spore discharge(SD)is an important factor affecting the quality of edible mushrooms.In this review,the bioactive nutrients of sexual spores of edible mushrooms were summarized,the SD mechanism was described,and the relationship between postharvest SD and the quality of edible mushrooms was analyzed.Spores contain various bioactive nutrients that are benefi cial to the human body.Mature mushrooms can actively discharge spores in a process affected by light,relative humidity,and temperature.During storage,the physiological metabolism of spore-bearing gill tissue is vigorous,promoting the release of postharvest spores and changing the nutritional value of fruiting bodies.The flavor of the fruiting bodies also varied signifi cantly during SD.Edible mushroom sexual spores have the potential to become new raw materials for functional food and medical resources.Research on the effect of the mechanism of SD on the quality of edible mushrooms and the development of SD regulation technology may be a new trend in the quality control of edible mushrooms,which will promote the development of the edible mushroom industry.

Insights on the molecular mechanism of neuroprotection exerted by edible bird’s nest and its bioactive constituents

Neurodegenerative diseases are often associated with the accumulation of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.Edible bird’s nest(EBN)is a glycoprotein(sialylated mucin glycopeptides)found to be beneficial against neurodegenerative diseases.Antioxidative,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic properties of EBN in preserving neuronal cells were widely researched using in vitro and in vivo models.Functional effects of EBN are often linked to its great number of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory glycopeptides.Bioactive compounds in EBN,especially sialic acid,add value to neurotrophic potential of EBN and contribute to neuronal repair and protection.Various studies reporting the neuroprotective effects of EBN,their molecular mechanisms,and neuroactive composition were gathered in this review to provide better insights on the neuroprotective effects of EBN.

Development Countermeasures of County-level Edible Fungi Industry in Hebei Province from the Perspective of Rural Revitalization

In recent years,the edible fungi industry in Hebei Province has developed rapidly,with gradually increased cultivation scale and production output,and has become the pillar industry of the province,playing a certain role in promoting the development of rural economy and rural revitalization.Based on the in-depth analysis of the development status,future development direction and current constraints of the edible fungi industry in each typical county of Hebei Province in recent years,the paper puts forward corresponding development countermeasures,which has certain reference value for the county-level edible fungi industry of Hebei Province to promote rural revitalization.

The Woman Warrior

EVERY Peking Opera troupe has a leading actor and actress who portray the roles of martial males and females,the former being known as Wu Sheng and the latter as Dao Ma Dan or Woman Warriors.As the Dao Ma Dan of her Peking Opera troupe.

Heavy metal concentrations in edible bivalves and gastropods available in major markets of the Pearl River Delta

Molluscs are able to accumulate heavy metals and impose health hazard to consumers. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the heavy metal concentrations in edible bivalves and gastropods available in major markets of the Pearl River Delta. Fourteen species of edible molluscs were purchased from six markets in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province. The fresh of these biota were tested for their cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn) concentrations (based on wet weight). The results indicated that amongst the 14 edible molluscs, only Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Sb and Sn concentrations in three species (Ruditapes philippinarum, Perna viridis and Hemifusus tuba) were within the local regulatory limits. Over 60% of bivalve species exceeded maximum permitted levels of Cd (2 mug/g) and Cr (1 mug/g), while over 40% of gastropod species exceeded the maximum levels of Sb (1 mug/g) and Cr (1 mug/g). Most of the samples collected from Hong Kong had significantly higher contents of Pb and Sb, but similar levels of Cd, Cu and Zn when compared with samples collected across the border ( p < 0.05; p 0.01; p < 0.001 respectively). In general, the molluscs purchased in Guangdong markets had higher metal contents than those purchased from the Hong Kong markets. When compared with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake or Maximum Acceptable Daily Load recommended by FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, Cd levels of five species (Anadara ferruginea, Pinna pectinata, Chlamys nobilis, Babylonia lutosa and Hemifusus terntanus) and Cr levels of seven species ( Anadara ferruginea, Paphia undulata, Pinna pectinata, Babylonia lutosa, Hemifusus terntanus, Cymbium melo and Cipangopaludina chinensis) were higher than both the human daily acceptable limits (for Cd and Cr respectively) and the local regulatory levels (for Cd and Cr respectively).

Alkali salts of heteropoly tungstates: Efficient catalysts for the synthesis of biodiesel from edible and non-edible oils

Alkali salts of tungsten based heteropoly acids with different central atom such as P, Si and Co were prepared and evaluated for transes- terification of both edible and non-edible oils to their corresponding fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst of sodium salt of tungstic acid with Co as central atom （Na5CoW12O40） showed optimum activity towards transesterification compared with other heteropoly tungstates. The catalysts activities were correlated with the observed physico-chemical characteristics derived from FT-infrared （FT-IR）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia （NH3-TPD） and carbon dioxide （CO2-TPD）. The Na5CoW12O40 catalyst exhibiting high activity even at 65 ℃ is due to the presence of strong acidic as well as basic sites. The disclosed catalyst is tolerable towards water and free fatty acids present in the oils. The influence of catalyst loading, reaction time and reaction temperature is studied to optimize the reaction parameters.

Edible agro-products quality and safety in China

Ensuring an acceptable level of edible agro-products quality and safety is necessary to provide adequate protection for con- sumers. It is the first time that we analyzed the edible agro-products quality and safety issues in the supply chain, including production, processing, circulation, and consumption. The results indicate that the agro-products quality and safety levels improves steadily, and the supervision system and standardization system are both enhanced significantly, however, certain challenges still remain in each stage of the supply chain and the entire supervision process. Finally, five recommendations regarding four aspects （production, processing, circulation, and consumption） are concluded.

Inhibitory activity of polysaccharide extracts from three kinds of edible fungi on proliferation of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cell and mouse implanted S180 tumor

AIM To determine the activities ofpolysaccharide extracts from Flammulina velutipes (Curt. ex Fr. ) Sing (FV), Lentinusedodes (LE) and Agaricus bisporus Sing (AB)on the proliferation of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and on mouse implanted S-180tumors in vivo.METHODS The polysaccharide extracts were isolated from the fruit bodies of FV, LE and AB by the methods of hot-water extraction, Sevag’sremoval of proteins, ethanol precipitation,trypsin digestion and ethanol fractionalprecipitation. Human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells were treated with 50 mg/L Polysaccharide extracts, and the mitosis index, mitochondria activity and cell proliferation were detected at different times in both control and experimental groups. The mice with S-180 implanted tumors were injected with the polysaccharide extracts at 24 mg/ kg body weight for 9 d and the tumorweight was measured on the 15th day.RESULTS The mitosis index of hepatoma cells in vitro could be significantly decreased by treatment with the polysaccharide extracts fromthe three kinds of edible fungi (P < 0 .005 ). Thecell numbers and mitochondria activity of SMMC7721 cells treated with polysaccharide extracts were lower than those in control groups (P <0.005). The inhibition rates of polysaccharide extracts against implanted S-180 tumors in mice were 52.8%, 56.6% and 51 .9% respectivelycompared with that in c0ntrol gr0ups.CONCLUSI0N The POIysaccharide extractsfrom the three kinds of edible fungi could inhibitnot only the Cultured malignant cells in vitfO butalso impIanted Sl80 tum0r i0 vivo.

Immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides from edible fungus:a review

The polysaccharides from edible fungus showed many kinds of biological activities,including anti-tumor,immunomodulatory,anti-inflammatory,anti-diabetes,improving functional constipation activities.In particular,the immunomodulatory effects have been paid more and more attention by scholars,but there was no systematic introduction of their immunomodulatory mechanism.So,this review introduced the immunomodulatory effects and mechanism of edible fungus polysaccharides in recent years,and then the relationships between structure and immunomodulatory effect were also discussed.

Mini-review on edible mushrooms as source of dietary fiber:Preparation and health benefits

Dietary fiber and high-fiber food products have attracted great attention because of their significant health benefits to consumers.Mushrooms are valuable resources for food,medicine and nutraceuticals.Edible mushroom is considered as a novel source of dietary fiber.The dietary fiber content and composition in edible mushroom vary greatly with its morphological stages including fruit body,mycelium and sclerotium.The focus of this mini-review is on the preparation of dietary fiber from edible mushroom with emphasis on the sclerotium which has the highest level of non-starch polysaccharides.The possible health benefits of mushroom dietary fiber in relationship with boosting the immune system,anticancer functions as well as the control of blood lipids and glucose levels are also discussed.©2013 Beijing Academy of Food Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.