Marien Aline, Dubois Benjamin, Fumière Olivier, Anselmo Abigaël, Maljean Julien, Debailleul Clémence, Morin Jean-François, Debode Frédéric
Quality and Authentication of Agricultural Products Unit, Knowledge and Valorization of Agricultural Products Department, Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA-W), 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
Bioengineering Unit, Life Sciences Department, Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA-W), 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
Insects. 2025 Jul 17;16(7):729. doi: 10.3390/insects16070729.
The consumption and farming of insects are gaining global attention as sustainable alternatives to conventional protein sources. Industrial processing of insects into powders or pastes complicates species identification, raising concerns about product authenticity, food safety, and potential fraud. In Western countries, particularly in Europe, the sector is expanding under a stringent regulatory framework, especially regarding rearing substrates, which hinders economic development. This study aimed to assess the species authenticity of commercial insect-based food and feed products and detect the presence of animal-derived DNA from unauthorized substrates. A total of 119 samples (pure insect meals and processed products) were collected from various origins. Species-specific real-time PCR assays targeted , , , , , and , alongside assays for ruminant, porcine, and poultry DNA. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) using metabarcoding confirmed and broadened species detection. Most samples contained the declared species; however, cases of mislabeling, substitution, and cross-contamination were observed. A few insect meals contained animal DNA which could suggest potential use of prohibited substrates. These findings highlight the urgent need for standardized authentication methods and improved transparency to ensure regulatory compliance, consumer trust, and sustainable development of the insect-based sector.
昆虫的消费和养殖作为传统蛋白质来源的可持续替代品正受到全球关注。将昆虫加工成粉末或糊状物的工业加工使物种鉴定变得复杂，引发了对产品真实性、食品安全和潜在欺诈行为的担忧。在西方国家，尤其是欧洲，该行业在严格的监管框架下不断发展，特别是在饲养基质方面，这阻碍了经济发展。本研究旨在评估商业昆虫基食品和饲料产品的物种真实性，并检测来自未经授权基质的动物源性DNA的存在。共从不同来源收集了119个样本（纯昆虫粉和加工产品）。针对 、 、 、 、 和 的物种特异性实时PCR检测，以及针对反刍动物、猪和家禽DNA的检测。使用元条形码的高通量测序（HTS）证实并拓宽了物种检测范围。大多数样本包含申报的物种；然而，观察到了标签错误、替代和交叉污染的情况。一些昆虫粉含有动物DNA，这可能表明使用了违禁基质。这些发现凸显了迫切需要标准化的认证方法和提高透明度，以确保符合监管要求、消费者信任以及昆虫基行业的可持续发展。
