Detection and Quantification of House Crickets (Acheta domesticus) in the Gut of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Larvae Fed Diets Containing Cricket Flour: A Comparison of qPCR and ddPCR Sensitivity

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60461373%3A22330%2F25%3A43933327" target="_blank" >RIV/60461373:22330/25:43933327 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60460709:41210/25:103080 RIV/00027006:_____/25:10179207

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/8/776" target="_blank" >https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/8/776</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects16080776" target="_blank" >10.3390/insects16080776</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Detection and Quantification of House Crickets (Acheta domesticus) in the Gut of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Larvae Fed Diets Containing Cricket Flour: A Comparison of qPCR and ddPCR Sensitivity

Original language description

Due to their nutritional value and sustainability, edible insect-based foods are gaining popularity in Europe. Their use is regulated by EU legislation, which defines authorised species and sets labelling requirements. Molecular tools are being developed to authenticate such products. In this study, yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae authorised for human consumption were fed wheat flour-based diets containing varying proportions of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour for 21 days. This was followed by a 48 h starvation period to assess the persistence of insect DNA in the digestive tract. Two novel, species-specific, single-copy markers were designed: ampd gene for the Acheta domesticus and MyD88 gene for the Tenebrio molitor. These were applied using qPCR and ddPCR. Both methods successfully detected cricket DNA in the guts of starved larvae. Linear regression analysis revealed a strong, statistically significant correlation between the proportion of Acheta domesticus flour in the diet and the normalised relative quantity of DNA. ddPCR proved to be more sensitive than qPCR, particularly in the detection of low DNA levels. These results suggest that the presence of DNA from undeclared insect species in edible insects may be indicative of their diet rather than contamination or adulteration. This highlights the importance of contextual interpretation in food authenticity testing.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10600 - Biological sciences

Project

<a href="/en/project/QK23020101" target="_blank" >QK23020101: The comprehensive laboratory strategy for identification of insect species intended for human consumption and the production of processed animal protein, authentication of insect-based foods.</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Insects

ISSN

2075-4450

e-ISSN

2075-4450

Volume of the periodical

16

Issue of the periodical within the volume

8

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

20

Pages from-to

nestránkováno

UT code for WoS article

001557709100001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105014258094