Researchers warn of allergy risks from insect-based foods

Researchers from James Cook University say food derived from crickets and flies can cause allergic reactions in people with an existing shellfish allergy – and this is not consistently picked up by currently available testing methods. Their research has been published in Molecular nutrition and food research.

Professor Andreas Lopata and Dr Shay Karnaneedi from JCU’s Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine said edible insect proteins are increasingly being manufactured for consumption by people and pets as a sustainable way to feed the world’s growing population.

Professor Lopata, team leader and head of the Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, said insects are highly nutritious due to their high protein content. Eating it is also good for the planet and supports Australia’s circular economy and decarbonisation.

“The problem is that insects are closely related to crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs and lobsters. Food allergy to crustaceans affects up to 4% of the population, with these people at significant risk of an allergic reaction after eating insect protein-based products.” food,” said Professor Lopata.

The team studied seven food products based on cricket flies and two black soldier flies for their protein content and potential to cause allergic reactions. Two commercial food allergen test kits were analyzed for their ability to protect consumers.

“We identified proteins (allergens) in insect-based foods that can cause allergic reactions in people with shellfish allergies. But we found that commercial shellfish allergen test kits did not reliably indicate this,” said Dr. Karnaneedi.

“It means that food allergen testing kits and food allergen labeling must take into account these unique allergens in edible insects, especially as this is likely to be a primary source of food protein for the growing human population,” said Dr. Karnaneedi.

“And people with shellfish allergies should be aware of the potential risks of insect-based foods.”

The team also used advanced mass spectrometry methods to characterize the proteins, and even that came with challenges.

“Our study showed that the way you chose to extract the insect proteins influenced the identification of allergens within different insect species,” says Professor Michelle Colgrave from CSIRO and Edith Cowan University.

“More research is needed to standardize detection,” she said.