Enzyme Activitties of Black Soldier (Hermeria illucens) Larvae

Abstract

The disproportion of food demand and food supply caused by population growth, limited land area, and resources prompt the search for novel and sustainable food alternatives. Scientific research has shown that edible insects are an ideal fit, providing many advantages. Typical edible insects consumed, like sago larvae in Eastern Indonesia and mealworms in Southeast Asia, are believed to emerge as functional food products with the combination of their high nutritional value and bioactive compounds findings. An insect with many positive properties, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), whose larvae have been reported as one of the promising food sources. Though there have been studies on the antimicrobial activities and antithrombotic activity of Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), no report is being made on its fibrinogenolytic activity. In the present study, various enzymatic including the fibrinogenolytic activities were identified. Results showed that the BSFL extract possessed proteolytic, amylolytic, chitinolytic, and cellulolytic activities. Excreted proteolytic and chitinolytic activities were also observed from BSFL whole body. Moreover, the BSFL crude extract was confirmed to have fibrinogenolytic activity performed by zymography and SDS PAGE analysis. Considering the results, the BSFL might suggest as sources for functional food alternative and bioactive substances productions.