Treatment agent and method for improving insect or larvae attraction to aquaculture animals

Abstract

The present invention discloses a treatment agent and a method for improving the feeding attraction of insects or their larvae to aquatic animals. The treatment agent of the present invention contains at least one of nitrates and nitrites, and at least one of ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid, tea polyphenols and nicotinamide; the treatment method for insects or their larvae comprises the following steps: cleaning the insects or their larvae; soaking the cleaned insects in a solution of the treatment agent of the present invention, taking them out and draining them. The treatment method of the present invention has low cost, is easy to operate, preserves nutrients intact, can kill pathogens in insects, and fixes the hemoglobin of insects, making them less susceptible to oxidation and corruption. In addition, by changing the natural body color of the insects or their larvae, the feeding attraction and palatability of the insects or their larvae as aquatic feed are improved, and the method is easy to promote and apply.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of animal feed, and particularly relates to a treatment agent and a method for improving the attraction of insects or their larvae to aquatic animals. Background Art

[0002] Insects are rich in protein and renowned for their minimalistic cultivation. As a food, they are not only rich in protein, low in fat, and rich in vitamins, but also offer a new protein resource, boasting a diverse and sustainable development. For omnivorous and carnivorous freshwater fish, insects are a natural part of their diet. Insect protein offers nutritional value and a flavor distinct from fishmeal, making it a high-quality protein source for aquaculture animals.

[0003] After harvesting, insects are traditionally washed with water and then preserved using various methods. Common methods for preserving insects in related technologies include disinfection with ozone or hypochlorous acid, the addition of sterilizing agents, drying, freezing, or fermentation. The invention patent "A Preservation Process for Edible Insects for Animals" (Publication No.: CN 109965154A) mentions the use of ozone water, high temperature, and microwaves to disinfect and sterilize insects before freezing them for preservation. The invention patent "A Low-Temperature Rapid Microfreezing Preservation Technology for Edible Specimens and Propagated Insects" (Publication No.: CN 109691615 A) preserves insects by directly freezing them in a microfreezing solution. The invention patent "A Method for Preparing Preserved Insects Containing Probiotics" (Publication No.: CN 113273639A) utilizes pasteurization and a mixed probiotic fermentation broth to inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms to preserve insects.

[0004] The above-mentioned insect treatment methods each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Although the use of sterilizers is relatively low-cost, most of them act on the body surface and fail to completely remove mud and sand in the intestines; the use of ozone and hypochlorous acid for disinfection will cause the insect body to turn black, and the protein and flavor amino acids to deteriorate, affecting the insect's appeal to aquatic animals; although drying can reduce transportation costs and extend storage time, high temperatures can easily lead to nutrient loss, and severe oxidation can cause the product to turn black, affecting quality and appearance, and also reducing the insect's appeal and palatability; freezing can preserve nutrients and active substances, but direct freezing without sterilization can easily retain pathogens in the insect body, thereby affecting the health of aquatic animals and causing uncontrollable economic losses; although the use of acidic substances in probiotic fermentation broth can effectively prevent the growth of putrefactive microorganisms, the insect body still needs to be supplemented with other sterilization methods to ensure that the insects meet the required hygiene standards. The use of high-temperature sterilization will inevitably affect the appearance and flavor of the insects. Therefore, there is a need for a processing technology that can effectively kill pathogens in insects, clean up mud and sand in their intestines, ensure the original quality and appearance of the insects, and give full play to the advantages of insects in attracting and palatability in feeding aquatic animals. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art. To this end, in a first aspect, the present invention provides an agent for treating insects or their larvae, which effectively kills pathogens in the insects or their larvae while preserving the original quality and appearance of the insects or their larvae.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent comprises at least one of nitrate and nitrite, and at least one of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, tea polyphenols, and nicotinamide.

[0007] In the present invention, the ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid, tea polyphenols and niacinamide can also be replaced by antioxidants such as ethoxyquin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, tert-butylhydroquinone, vitamin E, L-ascorbic acid-6-palmitate, rosemary extract, dilauryl thiodipropionate, glycyrrhizic acid antioxidant, and phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate).

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent further comprises water.

[0009] In some embodiments of the invention, the treating agent comprises nitrate, nitrite, ascorbic acid and water.

[0010] In some embodiments of the invention, the treating agent comprises nitrite, isoascorbic acid, and water.

[0011] In some embodiments of the invention, the treating agent comprises nitrite, ascorbic acid and water.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent comprises nitrite, tea polyphenols and water.

[0013] In some embodiments of the invention, the treating agent comprises nitrite, niacinamide and water.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent contains, by mass percentage, 4 to 20% each of nitrate and / or nitrite, and 10 to 40% of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, tea polyphenols or nicotinamide.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent further contains a balance of water.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment agent contains, by mass percentage, 5-20% nitrate and / or 4-15% nitrite, 20-40% ascorbic acid, 25-40% erythorbic acid, 10-20% tea polyphenols or 15-30% nicotinamide, and the balance is water.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the nitrate is selected from at least one of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, and the nitrite is selected from at least one of sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the insects or their larvae are insects or their larvae containing hemoglobin; the insects or their larvae containing hemoglobin include Chironmidae larvae, earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris), water earthworms (Tubifex), fly maggots (Muscomorpha), and sandworms (Nereissuccinea).

[0019] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for treating insects or their larvae, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1 cleans the insects or their larvae;

[0021] S2: soaking the cleaned insects in the treatment agent solution described in the first aspect of the present invention, taking them out and draining them.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the soaking time of the treatment agent solution in step S2 is 0.5 to 16 hours.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present invention, the treatment method further comprises the following operation: soaking the insects or their larvae after being soaked in the treatment liquid in a nutrient solution; the soaking time in the nutrient solution is 0.5 to 3 hours.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the nutrient solution in step S3 contains 5-15% of complex vitamins and 0.5-3% of complex trace elements, calculated by mass percentage.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vitamin complex in the nutrient solution contains vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B 12 , vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and complex trace elements contain one or more of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, copper, iron, and selenium.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vitamin complex contains, by mass percentage, vitamin B1 0.1-0.5%, vitamin B2 0.1-0.5%, vitamin B3 0.4-0.8%, vitamin B 12 The complex trace elements contain calcium 1-3%, iodine 0.01-0.03%, zinc 0.5-2%, copper 0.05-0.3%, cobalt 0.001-0.003%, and selenium 0.00001-0.00002%.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, the complex vitamins and complex trace elements further contain a balance of water.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present invention, the soaking time in the nutrient solution in step S3 is 0.5 to 3 hours.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mass ratio of the insects, the treatment agent solution, and the nutrient solution is 10-30:0.5-4:1-4.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mass ratio of the insects, the treatment agent solution, and the nutrient solution is 10-20:1:1-2.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the insects or larvae thereof obtained by the treatment method may be further processed, including but not limited to low-temperature freezing, drying, freeze-drying, and fermentation.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, the low-temperature freezing temperature is -20 to -40°C.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the low-temperature freezing time is 20 to 40 minutes.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the freeze-drying operation is a vacuum operation.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature during the freeze-drying operation is -20 to -30°C.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, the freeze-drying operation lasts for 15 to 25 hours.

[0037] The third aspect of the present invention provides the use of insects or their larvae obtained by the treatment method of the second aspect in preparing aquatic feed, wherein the aquatic feed includes fishing bait, fish feed, shrimp feed, crab feed, and turtle feed.

[0038] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0039] 1. During the soaking of live insects in the treatment solution prepared by the present invention, the insects can slowly absorb the treatment solution into their intestines while still alive, and have sufficient time to excrete sediment in the intestines. The nitrate and / or nitrite in the treatment solution can bind to the insect hemoglobin to form nitrosyl hemoglobin, which also has an antibacterial effect and can effectively kill pathogens in the insects. Moreover, under the action of antioxidants such as ascorbic acid or isoascorbic acid in the treatment solution prepared by the present invention, nitrate ions and / or nitrite ions in the nitrate and / or nitrite are reduced to nitric oxide, and the trivalent iron in the hemoglobin in the insect body is reduced to divalent iron. In the hypoxic environment in the insect body, the hemoglobin bound to the divalent iron forms nitrosoferrous hemoglobin, which can make the iron in the insect hemoglobin more stable and less prone to browning. The purple-red color of the treated insect body is more effective in attracting aquatic animals than the natural red color.

[0040] 2. The treatment method of the present invention can convert the hemoglobin in insects into stable, bright, purple-red nitrosoferrous hemoglobin, changing the color of the insect body to purple-red. This color has a better attractant effect for aquatic animals, thereby improving its attractant and palatability for aquatic animals.

[0041] 3. The processing method provided by the present invention is low-cost and easy to operate. The nutrients in the insects or their larvae products produced are intact and not easily oxidized, corrupted, or subjected to microbial growth, which may cause odor. By changing the insect body color and maintaining the original flavor of the insects to a large extent, the insects are more easily discovered and eaten by aquatic animals such as fish, shrimp, crabs, and turtles. The method has an excellent feeding effect on aquatic animals and has great application potential in the preparation of aquatic feed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, in which:

[0043] Figure 1Schematic diagram of the process of treating insects or their larvae in the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 The semi-finished products prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 The frozen products prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 The freeze-dried products are those prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The following will clearly and completely describe the concept and technical effects of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments to fully understand the purpose, features and effects of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] The present invention provides a method for treating insects or their larvae. Figure 1 This is the main step of the method for treating insects or their larvae in the present invention.

[0049] In the embodiment of the present invention, the room temperature is 25°C.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present invention, the vitamin complex comprises the following components by mass percentage: vitamin B1 0.3%, vitamin B2 0.25%, vitamin B3 0.7%, vitamin B 12 0.08%, vitamin C 5%, vitamin D 2%, vitamin E 10%, and the balance is water; the complex trace elements include the following components: calcium 2.5%, iodine 0.02%, zinc 1%, copper 0.15%, cobalt 0.002%, selenium 0.00001%, and the balance is water; the complex vitamins and complex trace elements are purchased from Guangdong Meiruike Marine Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0051] Unless otherwise specified, the experimental materials and reagents used in the examples of the present invention are conventional consumables and reagents available from commercial channels.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0054] (1) Wash 100 kg of chironomid larvae (also known as red worms, the red worms and chironomid larvae mentioned in the present invention are the same species) with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0055] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 5% potassium nitrate, 5% sodium nitrite, 20% ascorbic acid and 70% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 12 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0056] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 10% complex vitamins, 1% trace elements and 89% water, soak the red worms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 1.5 hours, drain and use as semi-finished products, and treat the semi-finished products in the following different ways: (a) quick-freeze at -30°C for 30 minutes and then package as frozen products; (b) vacuum freeze-dry, cool to -25°C in vacuum, dry for 20 hours, and use as freeze-dried products.

[0057] Example 2

[0058] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0059] (1) Wash 100 kg of earthworms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0060] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 15% sodium nitrite, 25% isoascorbic acid, and 60% water, soak the washed earthworms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 12 hours, and then remove the earthworms;

[0061] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 5% complex vitamins, 1% trace elements, and 94% water, soak the earthworms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 0.5 hours, then drain and quickly freeze the treated earthworms for packaging.

[0062] Example 3

[0063] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0064] (1) Wash 100 kg of water earthworms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0065] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 15% potassium nitrate, 5% sodium nitrite, 20% ascorbic acid and 60% water, soak the washed water earthworms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 16 hours, and then remove the water earthworms;

[0066] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 5% complex vitamins, 3% trace elements, and 92% water, soak the water earthworms that have been soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 2 hours, then drain and quick-freeze and package the treated water earthworms.

[0067] Example 4

[0068] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0069] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0070] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 15% sodium nitrite, 20% ascorbic acid, and 65% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 16 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0071] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 12% complex vitamins, 1% trace elements and 87% water, soak the red worms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 3 hours and then drain, quickly freeze the treated red worms, freeze-dry and package.

[0072] Example 5

[0073] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0074] (1) Wash 100 kg of water earthworms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0075] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 4% potassium nitrite, 40% isoascorbic acid, and 56% water, soak the washed water earthworms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 3 hours, and then remove the water earthworms;

[0076] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 8% complex vitamins, 0.5% trace elements and 91.5% water, soak the water earthworms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 0.5 hours and then drain, quickly freeze the treated water earthworms, freeze-dry and package.

[0077] Example 6

[0078] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0079] (1) Wash 100 kg of fly larvae with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0080] (2) preparing 5 kg of a treatment solution, weighing different components by mass percentage, specifically 20% sodium nitrate, 40% ascorbic acid, and 40% water, soaking the cleaned maggots in the treatment solution at room temperature for 0.5 hours, and then removing the maggots;

[0081] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 5% complex vitamins, 2% trace elements and 93% water, soak the maggots soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 0.5 hours and then drain, quickly freeze the treated maggots, freeze-dry and package.

[0082] Example 7

[0083] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0084] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0085] (2) Prepare 10 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 20% potassium nitrite, 30% ascorbic acid, and 50% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 15 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0086] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 8% of complex vitamins, 2% of trace elements and 90% of water, soak the red worms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 3 hours and then drain, homogenize the treated red worms with a blender, and add 1% of the total mass of the homogenized red worms into the Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation liquid, and ferment at room temperature for 5 days.

[0087] Example 8

[0088] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0089] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0090] (2) Prepare 10 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 12% sodium nitrite, 10% tea polyphenols and 78% water, soak the washed earthworms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 14 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0091] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 6% complex vitamins, 1% trace elements, and 93% water, soak the red worms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 1 hour and then drain, and quickly freeze and package the treated red worms.

[0092] Example 9

[0093] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0094] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0095] (2) preparing 5 kg of treatment solution, weighing different components by mass percentage, specifically 8% sodium nitrite, 20% tea polyphenols, and 72% water, soaking the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 10 hours, and then removing the red worms;

[0096] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 15% complex vitamins, 1% trace elements and 84% water, soak the red worms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 1 hour and then drain, quickly freeze the treated red worms, freeze-dry and package.

[0097] Example 10

[0098] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0099] (1) 100 kg of lugworms were cleaned with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0100] (2) Prepare 5 kg of treatment agent solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 6% potassium nitrite, 15% nicotinamide and 79% water, soak the cleaned nereid in the treatment agent solution at room temperature for 8 hours and then take out the nereid;

[0101] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 10% complex vitamins, 2% trace elements, and 88% water, soak the sandworms that have been soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 0.5 hours, then drain and quick-freeze and package the treated sandworms.

[0102] Example 11

[0103] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0104] (1) 100 kg of lugworms were cleaned with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0105] (2) preparing 10 kg of treatment agent solution, weighing different components by mass percentage, specifically 8% potassium nitrite, 30% nicotinamide and 62% water, placing the cleaned nereid in the treatment agent solution at room temperature and soaking for 8 hours, and then taking out the nereid;

[0106] (3) Prepare 10 kg of nutrient solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 10% complex vitamins, 2% trace elements, and 88% water, soak the sandworms soaked in the treatment agent in the nutrient solution again for 0.5 hours, then quickly freeze the treated sandworms, freeze-dry and package them.

[0107] Example 12

[0108] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0109] (1) 100 kg of lugworms were cleaned with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0110] (2) Prepare 10 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 10% potassium nitrite, 25% ascorbic acid and 65% water, soak the cleaned lugworms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 12 hours, then take out the lugworms, quick-freeze the treated lugworms, freeze-dry them and package them.

[0111] Example 13

[0112] This embodiment is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0113] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0114] (2) Prepare 10 kg of treatment solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 20% potassium nitrite, 20% ascorbic acid and 60% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 16 hours, then remove the red worms, quickly freeze the treated red worms, freeze-dry them and package them.

[0115] Comparative Example 1

[0116] This comparative example is a specific process of a method for treating insects or their larvae currently available on the market or traditional insects or their larvae, and the treatment steps are as follows:

[0117] (1) 100 kg of red worms were washed with clean water to remove surface impurities and used as semi-finished products;

[0118] (2) The semi-finished product is subjected to the following different post-treatments: (a) quick freezing at -30°C for 30 minutes and then packaging as a frozen product; (b) vacuum freeze drying, cooling to -25°C in a vacuum, and drying for 20 hours to obtain a freeze-dried product.

[0119] Comparative Example 2

[0120] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0121] (2) Prepare 5 kg of ascorbic acid solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 20% ascorbic acid and 80% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 12 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0122] (3) The red worms soaked in the treatment agent were drained and used as semi-finished products. The treated red worms were subjected to the following different post-treatments: (a) quick-frozen at -30°C for 30 minutes and then packaged as frozen products; (b) vacuum freeze-dried, cooled to -25°C in a vacuum, and dried for 20 hours to obtain freeze-dried products.

[0123] Comparative Example 3

[0124] (1) Wash 100 kg of red worms with clean water to remove surface impurities;

[0125] (2) Prepare 5 kg of nitrate solution, weigh different components by mass percentage, specifically 5% potassium nitrate, 5% sodium nitrite and 90% water, soak the cleaned red worms in the treatment solution at room temperature for 12 hours, and then remove the red worms;

[0126] (3) The red worms soaked in the treatment agent were drained and used as semi-finished products, and the semi-finished products were treated in the following different ways: (a) quick-frozen at -30°C for 30 minutes and then packaged as frozen products; (b) vacuum freeze-dried, cooled to -25°C in a vacuum, and dried for 20 hours to obtain freeze-dried products.

[0127] Comparison and verification of the effects of the embodiment and the comparative example

[0128] The insect samples obtained by the treatment method of Example 1 of the present invention and the treatment methods of Comparative Examples 1-3 were compared in terms of the appearance and color of the semi-finished product and the finished product, the production of nitrosohemoglobin, antibacterial and storage stability, the appetitive properties as fishing bait, and the appetitive properties as aquatic feed. The specific method is as follows:

[0129] 1. Appearance and color evaluation

[0130] The semi-finished products, frozen products and freeze-dried products of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, Comparative Example 2 and Comparative Example 3 that have been treated accordingly were compared with the naked eye under the same observation field and recorded with photographs (e.g. Figure 2-4 As shown), the frozen products were respectively recorded as Example 1-1, Comparative Example 1-1, Comparative Example 2-1, and Comparative Example 3-1, and the freeze-dried products were recorded as Example 1-2, Comparative Example 1-2, Comparative Example 2-2, and Comparative Example 3-2.

[0131] from Figure 2-4 It can be found that the red worm product prepared in Example 1 has a more stable and brighter color, and has a better appearance than the red worm products prepared in Comparative Examples 1-3.

[0132] 2. Evaluation of the effect of nitrosohemoglobin production

[0133] (1) Product Nitrosohemoglobin Content Test

[0134] Acetone method: 25 g of the semi-finished product, frozen product, and freeze-dried product from Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were weighed as test samples and placed in a sterile homogenizer containing 225 ml of normal saline. Homogenize in a blender at 8000 rpm for 2 minutes. The homogenized sample solution was filtered, and the filtrate was freeze-dried and transferred to a stoppered test tube. Dissolved in 80% by volume acetone solution, the solution was allowed to stand at room temperature in the dark for a specified period of time until the nitrosohemochromogen was completely extracted. The filtrate was used as a blank control with an 80% by mass acetone solution. The absorbance of the test sample at 540 nm was measured using a UV spectrophotometer. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0135] (2) Test results

[0136] Table 1 Nitrosohemoglobin content of samples (absorbance at 540 nm)

[0137]

[0138] The results show that the treatment method of the present invention can obtain insects and their larvae products containing high concentrations of nitrosohemoglobin, make the insect body color bright red, improve the product appearance and achieve better feeding effect.

[0139] 3. Antibacterial and storage resistance evaluation

[0140] (1) Test sample preparation

[0141] Randomly sample 50 grams of the semi-finished products of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were stored at room temperature for 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, and 7 days, and then tested for total bacterial counts to evaluate their antibacterial ability. Another 50 grams of the semi-finished products were randomly sampled and stored under specific conditions (semi-finished products and frozen products at -20°C, freeze-dried products at room temperature) for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, and 36 months, respectively, to evaluate their shelf life.

[0142] (2) Product total bacterial count test

[0143] Weigh 25 g of each of the room-temperature test samples and place them in a sterile homogenizer containing 225 ml of normal saline. Homogenize for 2 minutes in a blender at 8000 rpm. After a 10-fold incremental dilution, pipette 1 mL of the sample solution onto a sterile plate (prepared using plate count agar medium: 5.0 g of tryptone, 2.5 g of yeast extract, 1.0 g of glucose, and 15.0 g of agar, add 1000 ml of distilled water, boil to dissolve, adjust the pH to 7.0 ± 0.2, and autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes). The plate was evenly spread and incubated at 37°C ± 1°C for 48 hours. Colony counts were performed. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0144] (3) Product volatile basic nitrogen test

[0145] The test sample stored under the above-mentioned specific storage conditions was crushed, thoroughly mixed, and placed in a ground-mouth bottle for later use. Weigh 10 grams of the sample into a 250-ml stoppered Erlenmeyer flask, add 100 ml of distilled water, and shake for 30 minutes. Add 20 ml of a 2% boric acid solution to a 150-ml Erlenmeyer flask and two drops of a mixed indicator (a 0.1% ethanol solution of methyl red and a 0.5% ethanol solution of bromocresol green, equal volumes mixed). Immerse the end of the condenser tube of a semi-micro distillation apparatus in this solution. Add methyl red indicator and two drops of 0.01 mol / L sulfuric acid solution to the water in the steam generator of the distillation apparatus, maintaining the solution at an orange-red color. Accurately pipette 10 ml of the sample solution into the reaction chamber of the distillation apparatus. Rinse the inlet with a small amount of distilled water, and then add 10 ml of a 1.0% magnesium oxide suspension. Add water to the inlet and seal it to prevent air leakage. Distill for 4 minutes, lifting the end of the condenser tube away from the absorption liquid surface. Distill for an additional minute, then rinse the end of the condenser tube with distilled water, allowing the washing liquid to flow into the absorption liquid. After absorbing ammonia, the absorption liquid was immediately titrated with 0.01 mol / L standard hydrochloric acid solution until the solution changed from bluish-green to grayish-red. A reagent blank was also performed, and the results are shown in Table 3. Separately, 25 g of the corresponding samples were weighed, and the absorbance of the test samples at different storage times was measured using the acetone method described in the product nitrosohemoglobin content test procedure of this example. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0146] The volatile basic nitrogen content ω (mg / g) of the test sample is calculated by the following formula:

[0147]

[0148] In the above formula, V1 represents the volume of hydrochloric acid standard solution consumed by the sample solution for determination, in mL; V2 represents the volume of hydrochloric acid standard solution consumed by the reagent blank, in mL;

[0149] C represents the actual concentration of the hydrochloric acid standard solution, in mol / L;

[0150] m represents the sample mass in g.

[0151] (4) Test results

[0152] Table 2 Total bacterial count of the test samples (log cfu / g)

[0153]

[0154] Table 3 Volatile basic nitrogen content of the test samples of the embodiment (mg / g)

[0155]

[0156]

[0157] Table 4 Example test sample after storage of nitrosohemoglobin content (540nm wavelength absorbance value)

[0158]

[0159] The results show that the treatment agent and method of the present invention have good antibacterial effects and are durable in storage. From Table 2, it can be seen that the bloodworm products of the embodiment can effectively inhibit the growth of miscellaneous bacteria under the same storage conditions. The volatile basic nitrogen in Table 3 refers to the alkaline nitrogen-containing substances such as ammonia and amines produced by the decomposition of proteins in animal foods due to the action of enzymes and bacteria during the spoilage process. Such substances are volatile, and the higher their content, the more amino acids are destroyed, especially methionine and tyrosine, and thus the nutritional value is greatly affected. From Table 3, it can be seen that the volatile basic nitrogen content of Example 1 is lower than that of the bloodworm products of Comparative Documents 1-3. From Table 4, it can be seen that the nitrosohemoglobin content of the sample of Comparative Example 1, which was not treated with the treatment agent, dropped significantly after 3 months of storage, while the nitrosohemoglobin content of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 also began to drop significantly after 12 months. The sample of Example 1 can maintain a high nitrosohemoglobin content until 36 months. The test results show that the treatment agent and method of the present invention can effectively inhibit bacterial growth, prevent the protein in the insects or their larvae from being decomposed, and can also better maintain the nitrosohemoglobin content in the insects during long-term storage, thereby ensuring the quality and appearance of the insects.

[0160] 3. Evaluation of the phagocytic properties of the treated insects as fishing bait

[0161] (1) Experimental fish and feeding management

[0162] Thirty cichlids, with an average body mass of 87.3 ± 4.7 g, were housed in an indoor glass aquarium (120 cm long × 30 cm wide × 70 cm high) and fed a basal diet at a daily rate of 2% of their body weight. The cichlids were tested after 15 days of feeding. The aquarium was equipped with a water circulation filter and heating system, with an effective water volume of 200 liters. The water source was fully aerated tap water, maintained at a temperature of 21 ± 1°C, and continuously oxygenated. The water was changed once a day, with approximately one-third of the water replaced each time.

[0163] (2) Bait processing

[0164] Ten red worms prepared from the semi-finished product (Example 1-1), frozen product (Example 1-2), and freeze-dried product (Example 1-3) of Example 1 were used as bait, forming the test group. Ten red worms prepared from the semi-finished product (Comparative Example 1-1, Comparative Example 2-1, Comparative Example 3-1), frozen product (Comparative Example 1-2, Comparative Example 2-2, Comparative Example 3-2), and freeze-dried product (Comparative Example 1-3, Comparative Example 2-3, Comparative Example 3-3) of Comparative Example 1, Comparative Example 2, and Comparative Example 3 were used as bait, forming Control Groups 1, 2, and 3. Twelve groups of bait were tied with cotton thread and evenly distributed at 10-cm intervals in a 120-cm-long aquarium, placed in the middle of the width, with the bait located 25 cm below the water surface.

[0165] (3) Evaluation method of feeding effect

[0166] The number of bites of the test fish on the 12 groups of baits was observed and recorded within 15 minutes. The experiment was repeated 5 times with one day interval. The data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation of the 5 repetitions. The number of bites was used to judge the feeding effect of the bait on cichlids. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0167] The semi-finished product, frozen product and freeze-dried product of Example 1 were used as the counterparts of the semi-finished product, frozen product and freeze-dried product of Example 1, respectively. A cichlid was placed on one side of the aquarium with a transparent baffle, and the sample it preferentially fed was observed and recorded. The number of bites of the bait was measured with 30 cichlids in each group. The test was repeated 5 times at one-day intervals. The data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation of the 5 repetitions. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0168] (4) Test results

[0169] Table 5 Evaluation of the attractant properties of the experimental samples as bait

[0170] Test samples Example 1 semi-finished product Comparative Example 1 semi-finished product Comparative Example 2 semi-finished product Comparative Example 3 semi-finished product Number of pecks 68±7 34±6 48±6 53±5 Test samples Example 1-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 1-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 2-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 3-1 Frozen Products Number of pecks 58±4 25±5 44±7 45±9 Test samples Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 2-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 3-2 Freeze-dried product Number of pecks 53±9 39±5 41±3 40±4

[0171] Table 6 Evaluation of the preferential feeding of the test samples as bait

[0172] Test samples Example 1 semi-finished product Comparative Example 1 semi-finished product Priority feeding times 27.8±0.7 2.2±0.7 Test samples Example 1-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 1-1 Frozen Products Priority feeding times 28.2±0.7 1.8±0.7 Test samples Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Priority feeding times 28.0±0.9 2.0±0.9

[0173] The results show that the red worms prepared in Example 1 have good attractant properties when used as fishing bait. In the experiment, the number of times cichlids pecked at the red worms prepared in Example 1 was higher than that of the red worms prepared in Comparative Examples 1-3. Compared with Comparative Example 1, the number of preferred feeding of the red worms prepared in Example 1 was higher, and cichlids were more likely to give priority to feeding the red worm product of Example 1, indicating that the sample was bright in color and more attractive to fish. The product prepared by this treatment method is not only resistant to storage, but also has good attractant properties, and has broad application prospects in fish bait.

[0174] 4. Evaluation of the Appetitive Properties of Treated Insects as Aquatic Feed

[0175] (1) Experimental fish and feeding management

[0176] Refer to the test fish and breeding management methods in the evaluation of the bait's attractant properties above.

[0177] (2) Evaluation of feeding effect

[0178] Ad libitum feeding was used. Referring to the grouping used in the bait evaluation, the bait preparation method was adjusted to directly add the corresponding bloodworms as feed. Each group was fed 100 grams of the corresponding excess feed. The attractant effect was expressed as the average attractant index calculated after 30 minutes of observation (when there was residual feed). The experiment was repeated five times at one-day intervals. The data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation of the five replicates. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0179] The formula for calculating the feeding attraction index is as follows (if it is a freeze-dried product, the remaining feed must be dried before weighing):

[0180]

[0181] (3) Test results

[0182] Table 7 Evaluation of the appetitiveness of the test samples as aquatic feed

[0183] Test samples Example 1 semi-finished product Comparative Example 1 semi-finished product Comparative Example 2 semi-finished product Comparative Example 3 semi-finished product Appetite Index 0.95±0.02 0.68±0.13 0.73±0.06 0.81±0.11 Test samples Example 1-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 1-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 2-1 Frozen Products Comparative Example 3-1 Frozen Products Appetite Index 0.90±0.02 0.71±0.09 0.68±0.10 0.84±0.02 Test samples Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 1-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 2-2 Freeze-dried product Comparative Example 3-2 Freeze-dried product Appetite Index 0.93±0.03 0.66±0.02 0.69±0.04 0.74±0.14

[0184] The results show that the intake of the red worms prepared in Example 1 when used as aquatic feed is significantly higher than that of the other control examples, and the attractant index is higher than that of the red worms prepared in control examples 1-3, indicating that the product prepared by this treatment method is not only resistant to storage, but also has good palatability and attractant properties, and has broad application prospects in aquatic feed.

[0185] The above test results show that the insect products treated using this technical method have the advantages of bright color, antibacterial and fresh-keeping, high appetitiveness and high palatability, and have great application potential in aquatic feed.

[0186] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications may be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof may be combined with one another unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. A treatment agent for treating chironomid larvae, earthworms, water worms, fly maggots, sandworms or their larvae, characterized in that: Calculated by mass percentage, the treatment agent contains: 4-20% each of nitrate and / or nitrite, and 10-40% of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, tea polyphenols or nicotinamide.

2. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that The nitrate is selected from at least one of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, and the nitrite is selected from at least one of sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite.

3. A method for treating chironomid larvae, earthworms, water worms, fly maggots, sandworms or their larvae, characterized in that: The processing method comprises the following steps: S1. Clean the chironomid larvae, earthworms, water worms, fly maggots, sandworms or their larvae; After washing, S2 is placed in a solution of the treatment agent and soaked, then taken out and drained; The soaking time of the treatment agent solution in step S2 is 0.5 to 16 hours; Calculated by mass percentage, the treatment agent contains: 4-20% each of nitrate and / or nitrite, and 10-40% of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, tea polyphenols or nicotinamide.

4. The processing method according to claim 3, characterized in that The treatment method further comprises the following operation: soaking the chironomid larvae, earthworms, water worms, fly maggots, sandworms or their larvae after being soaked in the treatment liquid in a nutrient solution; the soaking time in the nutrient solution is 0.5 to 3 hours.

5. The processing method according to claim 4, characterized in that: Calculated by mass percentage, the nutrient solution contains 5-15% of complex vitamins and 0.5-3% of complex trace elements.

6. The processing method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The complex vitamins in the nutrient solution contain vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B 12 , vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and complex trace elements contain one or more of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, copper, iron, and selenium.

7. Use of chironomid larvae, earthworms, water worms, fly maggots, sandworms or their larvae obtained by the treatment method according to any one of claims 3 to 6 in preparing aquatic feed, characterized in that: The aquatic feed includes fishing bait, fish feed, shrimp feed, crab feed, and turtle feed.

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