Percorrer por autor "Brooks, Bryan W."
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- Improving product safety for edible insects : toxicokinetics of Hg in Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucensPublication . Cardoso, Diogo N.; Silva, Ana Rita R.; Morgado, Rui G.; Mostafaie, Amid; Pereira, Andreia; Pinto, José; Lopes, Ivã G.; Murta, Daniel; Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.; Brooks, Bryan W.; Loureiro, SusanaSustainability, circularity, and Zero Waste policies are timely concepts for policy development and strategies in the European Union (EU) and other global regions. Insects can likely become key players in the bioconversion of waste to valuable material and promise one solution to achieve diverse societal goals. Insects further present strategic opportunities as food products; however, it is necessary to understand how insects accumulate and eliminate priority contaminants from different substrates where they can be reared. In the present study, we expanded beyond previous work with mercury (Hg) to examine bioaccumulation kinetics in Tenebrio molitor (YMW) and Hermetia illucens (BSF). Two-phase bioaccumulation assays, with an uptake (contaminated Hg substrate) and elimination phase (clean substrate), followed by toxicokinetic modeling, showed that both insects have a high capacity to regulate Hg, often reaching an internal steady-state concentration at level responding on the substrate concentration of Hg. Of importance for product safety, both insects quickly eliminated Hg after being transferred to clean substrate. Specifically, BSF eliminated half of the accumulated Hg in approximately 1 day (after 5 days of Hg exposure) and YMW in 4–5 days (after 21 days of Hg exposure). These results provide crucial product safety information for insect producers using possibly contaminated substrates, specifically informing the amount of time for Hg depuration prior to processing and commercialization for food and feed.
- Towards circularity for agro-waste : minimal soil hazards of olive pomace bioconverted frass by insect larvae as an organic fertilizerPublication . Mostafaie, Amid; Silva, Ana Rita R.; Pinto, José N.; Prodana, Marija; Lopes, Ivã G.; Murta, Daniel; Brooks, Bryan W.; Loureiro, Susana; Cardoso, Diogo N.As global populations escalate and the demand for food and feed intensifies, the generation of agri-food waste is becoming an increasingly critical issue. Addressing this challenge is crucial for optimizing food production and advancing sustainable waste management practices. In this context, insects, including the Black Soldier Fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens), present opportunities for circularity through the bioconversion of organic waste. Olive pomace (OP), a by-product of the olive oil industry, is known for its phytotoxic properties due to its high phenolic content and acidic pH. Using BSF for OP bioconversion could mitigate the environmental disposal of this by-product while producing valuable resources such as protein, fats, and insect frass. Insect frass is the excrement of insects that can be used as an entomofertilizer. Building from BSF feeding on OP, this study aimed to evaluate the safety of applying the resultant frass in soil amendment applications for the first time. Here are explored the effects of olive pomace-derived frass (OP-BSFfrass) on soil health and plant growth by evaluating the soil model invertebrate Enchytraeus crypticus and phytotoxicity bioassays using the forage crop ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and the agricultural species broccoli (Brassica oleracea). Our methodologies included direct soil applications and aqueous extract tests, with a range of OP-BSFfrass concentrations (from 0 to 9.8% w/w) and observation periods (2 and 32d). Despite initial concerns over the phytotoxic nature of OP, our findings revealed that OP-BSFfrass did not adversely affect the survival of E. crypticus and even enhanced its reproductive success. Furthermore, while higher frass concentrations elicited some adverse effects on plant germination and growth, these were limited to levels unlikely to be used in practical applications. The outcomes of this study suggest that OP-BSFfrass could be safely integrated into the soil as a fertilizer, promoting a circular bio-economy by converting waste into economically and environmentally friendly products. This study underscores the potential of insects in transforming waste management paradigms and enhancing food security, particularly in regions like the Mediterranean, thus contributing to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector.