Manufacturing method of food additives using edible insects

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a food additive using edible insects, and more specifically, to a method for manufacturing a food additive that exhibits excellent safety and stability, as well as superior nutritional functionality and digestibility by applying bioconversion process technology to edible insects. To this end, the manufacturing method comprises the steps of: preparing cricket powder; preparing a mixture by mixing the cricket powder with redistilled water; and manufacturing a food additive by adding beneficial microorganisms to the mixture and fermenting it.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a food additive using edible insects, and more specifically, to a method for manufacturing a food additive that has excellent safety and stability, as well as superior nutritional functionality and digestibility and absorption rate, by applying bioconversion process technology to edible insects. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, as edible insects have garnered attention as a future food resource, products utilizing them are being steadily released.

[0003] Furthermore, there is an increasing trend of attempts to develop health supplements and health functional foods by discovering functional ingredients derived from edible insects.

[0004] Along with the acceleration of global aging, interest in health management—such as boosting immunity and preventing aging—is rising due to recent domestic and international issues like fine dust and COVID-19, leading to steady growth in related industries.

[0005] In particular, interest in technology products utilizing new individually recognized ingredients is increasing. Regarding these technology products, as research results on the diverse effects of edible insect extracts—such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and liver function improvement—are being reported alongside those of naturally derived ingredients, it is anticipated that research on insect extracts will continue to be conducted by various research institutions.

[0006] As an example of such research, there have been recent reports of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute developing 'anti-cancer and immunity-boosting technology' using edible insect extracts and transferring the technology to a domestic small and medium-sized enterprise, suggesting that research and development on insect extracts is expected to continue expanding.

[0007] Meanwhile, in this regard, there is a significant variation in the safety and stability of edible insects sold on the market, particularly edible crickets.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need to develop feed recipes to homogenize these edible cricket raw materials and ensure nutritional functionality.

[0009] To this end, it is deemed necessary not only to lease breeding space for a certain period and to produce, harvest, process, and verify the nutritional functionality of edible crickets using developed feed recipes, but also to develop a process for isolating and purifying edible crickets through the development of a bioconversion process.

[0010] If the protein, which makes up about 65% of edible crickets, can be broken down into various forms of amino acids, the digestion and absorption rate can be increased, and it can be used for various purposes in the body.

[0011] In addition, if the chitin component of edible crickets can be broken down, it may be possible to produce raw materials with enhanced bioavailability by breaking them down into chitosan, NAG, etc.

[0012] Accordingly, various food products utilizing edible insects are being developed; however, avoidance persists due to consumers' psychological aversion, and to date, a method for processing them into raw materials that offers excellent nutritional balance and enhanced utility for the human body has not yet been developed. Prior art literature

[0013] Republic of Korea Published Patent Application No. 10-2019-0117319 The problem to be solved

[0014] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems by providing a method for manufacturing a food additive that has excellent safety and stability, as well as superior nutritional functionality and digestibility and absorption rate, by applying bioconversion process technology to edible insects.

[0015] The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description describing preferred embodiments. means of solving the problem

[0016] The above objective can be achieved by a method for manufacturing a food additive comprising the steps of: preparing cricket powder; mixing the cricket powder with redistilled water to prepare a mixture; and adding a beneficial microorganism to the mixture and fermenting it to produce a food additive.

[0017] Specifically, the above fermentation may be characterized by being carried out for 1 to 12 hours.

[0018] Specifically, the above-mentioned useful microorganism may be characterized by comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, yeast, photosynthetic bacteria, and combinations thereof. Effects of the invention

[0019] According to the present invention, by applying bioconversion process technology to edible insects, high-value-added raw materials with excellent safety and stability can be stably produced.

[0020] In addition, according to the present invention, a food additive that can be used for various purposes in the body with a high digestion and absorption rate can be produced by breaking down the protein, which accounts for about 65% of edible insects, particularly edible crickets, into various amino acids and breaking down the chitin component into chitosan and NAG.

[0021] In addition, the food additive produced by the method according to the present invention has excellent nutritional functionality and can be utilized in various food industries such as plant-based meat substitutes, patient diets, elderly-friendly diets, and high-protein foods, and thus can be utilized as a future food.

[0022] However, the effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0023] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a food additive according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a graph showing the amino acid content of a food additive according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a graph showing the DPPH content of a food additive according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a graph showing the NAG content of a food additive according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and drawings. These embodiments are presented merely as examples to explain the invention more specifically, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited by these embodiments.

[0025] Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and in the event of a conflict, the description in this specification, including the definitions, shall prevail.

[0026] To clearly explain the proposed invention in the drawings, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted, and similar parts throughout the specification have been given similar reference numerals. Furthermore, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Additionally, the term "part" as described in the specification refers to a single unit or block that performs a specific function.

[0027] In each step, identification codes (1st, 2nd, etc.) are used for convenience of explanation and do not describe the order of the steps; the steps may be performed differently from the specified order unless a specific order is clearly indicated in the context. That is, the steps may be performed in the same order as specified, substantially simultaneously, or in the reverse order.

[0028] The term "extract" as used in the present invention may include the extract itself and all formulations of extracts that can be formed using the extract, such as an extract obtained by extracting a raw material, a diluted or concentrated extract of said extract, a dried product obtained by drying said extract, a modified or purified product of said extract, or a mixture thereof.

[0029] In the extraction of the raw material of the present invention, the method of extracting the extract is not particularly limited and can be extracted according to methods commonly used in the relevant technical field. Non-limiting examples of the extraction method include hot water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, filtration, reflux extraction, etc., and these may be performed alone or in combination of two or more methods.

[0030] In the present invention, the type of extraction solvent used to extract the raw material is not particularly limited, and any solvent known in the relevant technical field may be used. Non-limiting examples of the extraction solvent may include water; C1 to C4 lower alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propyl alcohol, butyl alcohol; polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, butylene glycol, propylene glycol; and hydrocarbon solvents such as ethyl acetate; or mixtures thereof. Preferably, purified water, lower alcohols, 1,3-butylene glycol, and ethyl acetate may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more types.

[0031] In the present invention, the extract obtained by hot water extraction or cold maceration extraction can be used as is after filtering to remove suspended solid particles, such as by using nylon or a freeze-filtration method, or after drying by freeze-drying, hot air drying, spray drying, etc.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments and examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention may not be limited to these embodiments and examples and the drawings.

[0035] One aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a food additive, comprising the steps of: preparing cricket powder; mixing the cricket powder with redistilled water to prepare a mixture; and adding a beneficial microorganism to the mixture and fermenting it to produce a food additive.

[0036] According to the present invention, by applying bioconversion process technology to edible insects, high-value-added raw materials with excellent safety and stability can be stably produced.

[0037] In addition, according to the present invention, a food additive that can be used for various purposes in the body with a high digestion and absorption rate can be produced by breaking down the protein, which accounts for about 65% of edible insects, particularly edible crickets, into various amino acids and breaking down the chitin component into chitosan and NAG.

[0038] In addition, the food additive produced by the method according to the present invention has excellent nutritional functionality and can be utilized in various food industries such as plant-based meat substitutes, patient diets, elderly-friendly diets, and high-protein foods, and thus can be utilized as a future food.

[0039] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a food additive according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

[0040] First, prepare cricket powder.

[0041] In one embodiment, the cricket may be dried to be powdered. For example, the cricket powder may be obtained by a method comprising the steps of: preparing a raw cricket raw material; drying the raw cricket raw material; and grinding the dried cricket raw material to obtain cricket powder.

[0042] In one embodiment, the drying may be performed without limitation as long as it is a method to reduce the moisture content of the cricket to a level where it can be powdered, and may be performed by a method selected from the group consisting of natural drying, hot air drying, freeze drying, and combinations thereof.

[0043] In one embodiment, the drying may be performed until the moisture content of the cricket is less than about 10%.

[0044] In one embodiment, the pulverization of the cricket may be performed by a milling process using a ball crusher.

[0045] In one embodiment, the cricket powder may be powdered to a size of about 40 to 200 mesh.

[0046] Next, the above cricket powder is mixed with redistilled water to prepare a mixture.

[0047] Distilled water is composed of first distilled water that has been distilled once, second distilled water that has been distilled twice, and third distilled water that has been distilled three times, depending on how many times the distillation process has been performed. In the present invention, third distilled water that has been distilled three times is selected and composed.

[0048] In one embodiment, the mixing may be performed at a speed of about 500 to 1,500 rpm through a mixer or a mixing machine.

[0049] Next, a food additive is prepared by adding useful microorganisms to the above mixture and fermenting it.

[0050] In one embodiment, the useful microorganism may be characterized by comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, yeast, photosynthetic bacteria, and combinations thereof.

[0051] In one embodiment, the useful microorganism may comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, yeast, photosynthetic bacteria, and combinations thereof. Specifically, the useful microorganism may comprise both lactic acid bacteria and / or Bacillus subtilis.

[0052] In one embodiment, the lactic acid bacteria are of the genus Lactobacillus ( Lactobacillus It can be characterized as being sp.). For example, the above-mentioned lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus is Lactobacillus acidophilus ( Lactobacillus acidophilus ), Lactobacillus brevis( Lactobacillus brevis ), Lactobacillus bulgaricus( Lactobacillus bulgaricus ), Lactobacillus pentosus ( Lactobacillus pentosus ), Lactobacillus plantarum( Lactobacillus plantarum ), Lactobacillus rhamnosus ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus It may include one or more selected from the group consisting of ), and combinations thereof.

[0053] In one embodiment, the bacterium is Bacillus subtilis ( Bacillus subtilis ), Bacillus subtilis spurgeini( Bacillus subtilis spizizenii ), Bacillus megaterium( Bacillus megaterium ), Bacillus licheniformis( Bacillus licheniformis ), Bacillus pumilus( Bacillus pumilus It may include one or more selected from the group consisting of ), and combinations thereof.

[0054] In one embodiment, the yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae It could be ).

[0055] In one embodiment, the useful microorganism may include Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a lactic acid bacterium, or include Bacillus subtilis as a bacterium.

[0056] The above Bacillus subtilis ( Bacillus subtilis It has immune-activating properties, and its cell wall components activate immunoglobulins to suppress harmful bacteria, thereby preventing diseases such as diarrhea and helping to boost immunity by promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria.

[0057] In one embodiment, the fermentation may be characterized as being carried out for about 1 hour to about 12 hours. By mixing beneficial microorganisms together with cricket powder, which is a fermentation source rich in protein, fat, and essential amino acids, and carrying out the fermentation, a food additive with a high digestion and absorption rate that can be used for various purposes in the body can be produced.

[0058] If the above fermentation is performed for less than about 1 hour, the fermentation by the beneficial microorganisms may not proceed sufficiently, and if it exceeds about 12 hours, the active ingredients of the food additive being produced may decrease.

[0059] In one embodiment, the effects and advantages described above are exerted through the organic interaction of all the components and steps described above, and the effects may not be achieved if the components and steps are included selectively.

[0061] Hereinafter, the structure of the present invention and the resulting effects are to be explained in more detail through specific embodiments and comparative examples. However, these embodiments are intended to explain the present invention more specifically, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0063] [Example]

[0064] First, a mixture was prepared by mixing 10 g of cricket powder and 100 ml of redistilled water, and the mixture was inoculated with 1% of Bacillus subtilis or Lactobacillus rhamnosus, respectively, and fermented at a temperature of 30°C for various times. The food additive obtained by fermentation was named as an example.

[0066] [Experimental Example 1: Measurement of Amino Acid Content]

[0067] The amino acid content of the food additive prepared in the above example was measured according to the fermentation time and is shown in Figure 2.

[0068] As shown in Figure 2, the optimal condition was the experimental group inoculated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and fermented for 9 hours.

[0069] When inoculated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the amount increased by about 140% compared to the unfermented case, and when fermented for 9 hours after inoculation with Bacillus subtilis, the amount increased by about 114% compared to the unfermented case.

[0071] [Experimental Example 2: Measurement of Amino Acid Content]

[0072] The DPPH content of the food additive prepared in the above example was measured according to the fermentation time and is shown in Figure 3.

[0073] As shown in Figure 3, the optimal condition was an experimental group inoculated with Bacillus subtilis or Lactobacillus rhamnosus and fermented for 6 hours.

[0074] In the case of Bacillus subtilis, it increased by about 269% compared to the unfermented type, and in the case of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, it increased by about 251% compared to the unfermented type.

[0076] [Experimental Example 3: Measurement of Amino Acid Content]

[0077] The amino acid content of the food additive prepared in the above example was measured according to the fermentation time and is shown in Figure 4.

[0078] As shown in Figure 4, the optimal condition was the experimental group inoculated with Bacillus subtilis and fermented for 6 hours.

[0079] In the case of Bacillus subtilis, it increased by about 142% compared to the unfermented state, and in the case of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, it increased by about 132% compared to the unfermented state after 6 hours of fermentation.

[0081] In this specification, only a few examples among the various embodiments performed by the inventors are described; however, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited or restricted thereto, and it is obvious that it can be modified and implemented in various ways by those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claim 1 The method comprises the steps of: preparing edible cricket powder with a mesh size of 40 to 200; preparing a mixture by mixing the edible cricket powder and triple-distilled water at a speed of 500 to 1,500 rpm using a mixer or blender; and preparing a food additive by adding lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus subtilis to the mixture and fermenting it, wherein the edible cricket is a two-spotted cricket, and the lactic acid bacteria is Lactobacillus rhamnosus ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus ) and the above-mentioned Bacillus subtilis ( Bacillus subtilis A method for manufacturing a food additive, characterized in that the above fermentation is performed at a temperature of 30℃ for 6 to 9 hours. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete

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