Certified reference material for inorganic contaminants in insect protein

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Insect protein is a sustainable alternative to conventional sources, offering nutritional benefits.
• Ensuring insect protein safety necessitates reliable analytical methods and certified reference materials (CRMs).
• Limited availability of CRMs for inorganic and organic contaminants in insect proteins poses a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and produce an incurred cricket powder CRM for inorganic contaminants and selenium.
• To establish robust methodologies for producing insect-based CRMs compliant with ISO 17034.
• To address the scarcity of CRMs for insect protein quality control and method validation.

Main Methods:

• Innovative approach using tailored insect feed formulations and controlled farming environments to achieve contaminant bioaccumulation.
• Production of incurred cricket powder incorporating specific inorganic contaminants (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, As species) and selenium.
• Metrological traceability and assignment of reference values using high-accuracy methods with associated measurement uncertainties.

Main Results:

• Successful development of an incurred cricket powder CRM for inorganic contaminants and selenium.
• Demonstrated satisfactory bioaccumulation of contaminants through controlled feeding regimens.
• Established a consistent method for producing high-quality insect protein for quality control and method validation.

Conclusions:

• The developed CRMs are crucial for ensuring the safety and quality of insect-based proteins.
• This advancement will enhance consumer and regulatory confidence in the insect protein industry.
• The methodologies provide a pathway for producing other insect-based CRMs.