Percorrer por autor "Murta, Daniel"
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- Bioremediation of Bacteria, Histamine and Animal DNA by Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Safe Food Waste ValorisationPublication . Oliveira, Joana; Ligeiro, Carolina; Carvalho, Carina; Souza, Clarice; Grilo, Miguel L.; Fantatto, Rafaela; Trindade, Alexandre; Murta, Daniel; Assunção, RicardoBy 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion, increasing pressure on agri-food systems and worsening food waste. In the European Union (EU), around 59 million tonnes of food are wasted annually, enough to feed 1.26 hungry billion people per year. This waste has major public health impacts. Tackling it through safe, sustainable strategies is, therefore, essential. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens) offer a promising solution by converting food waste into high-value products like protein, fat, and organic fertiliser. However, EU legislation currently prohibits using food waste as insect feed due to possible contamination with prions, and other foodborne hazards such as bacteria and histamine. This study evaluates the food safety potential of BSFL by assessing their ability to reduce pathogenic bacteria and histamine, and to determine whether they bioaccumulate animal DNA (pork, beef, chicken). To test this, 2 tonnes of heterogeneous food waste were transformed into BSFL substrate and used in a bioconversion assay. Larvae in the test group showed improved performance, with higher bioconversion and growth rates and a lower feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. Analyses were conducted on food waste substrate, larvae, BSFL meal, and frass, including controls. Bacterial enumeration followed ISO protocols; histamine was quantified using an ELISA kit; DNA was extracted and then analysed via PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis.BSFL significantly reduced Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. in the test group (p = 0.002), and Bacillus cereus and Vibrio spp. in the control (p = 0.015). Histamine levels decreased significantly (p = 0.029). No animal DNA was detected in larvae (p = 0.029), though traces persisted in frass, indicating excretion rather than bioaccumulation. These findings support the safe use of BSFL in food waste valorisation and their integration into circular, One Health food systems focused on safety and sustainability.
- ENTOSAFE - Edible insects: From a sustainable food production to a food safety concern.Publication . Cardoso, Diogo; Mostafaie, Amid; Silva, Ana Rita; Motta, Carla; Murta, Daniel; Pinto, Glória; Coelho, Inês; Prodana, Marija; Silva, Patricia; Alvito, Paula; Calisto, Vania; Loureiro, SusanaThe use of insects as a food and feed source is nowadays considered a solution for the increasing food demands in the following years. With that in mind, the recently funded project “ENTOSAFE - Edible insects: From a sustainable food production to a food safety concern” aims to integrate the food safety and the environmental sustainability aspects of edible insect farming. ENTOSAFE will take advantage of a symbiotic multidisciplinary team with members from industry (EntoGreen® - Ingredient Odyssey, Portugal) and academia (Univ. of Aveiro and National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Portugal). The project is committed to provide knowledge on the accumulation and transfer of potential contaminants (e.g., metals, mycotoxins, PAHs, pharmaceuticals) in insects farmed in rearing facilities, contributing directly with data sets to the new legislation and regulatory limits, concerning the presence of these compounds in the substrate. ENTOSAFE brings new approaches, focusing on full bioaccumulation studies through a complete uptake phase, assessing the contaminant into insects in different times during this phase. Considering the lack of information on insects’ elimination capacity to excrete contaminants from their body, an elimination phase will be studied in a non-contaminated substrate. ENTOSAFE is also promoting environmentally sustainable strategies while avoiding any wasted components from the process. The application of frass, as an organic fertilizer - produced by the digestion of the agricultural wastes or other residues by insects - on crops is presented as a promising solution to a zero-waste policy. Despite promising, the available information on the benefits that this by-product has on crop productivity is scarce. In this context, ENTOSAFE seeks evidence on the impact of this frass on agricultural soil’s main functions and the key processes behind. The project will evaluate the effects in soil quality and functions, soil-biota interactions in soils enriched with organic amendments and plant responses to stressors, by performing a series of experiments from laboratory to greenhouse scale. In summary, ENTOSAFE will contribute to an upscaling on the use of edible insects as feed and food, covering not only safety concerns but also promoting the sustainability of insect rearing processes.
- Fontes alternativas de proteína: consumo de insetos e a promoção de sistemas alimentares sustentáveisPublication . Oliveira, Joana; Murta, Daniel; Trindade, Alexandre; Assunção, RicardoA crescente pressão exercida sobre os sistemas alimentares globais e os impactos ambientais da produção pecuária impulsionaram a procura por fontes de proteína alternativas sustentáveis. Os insetos comestíveis surgem como uma alternativa promissora, com elevado valor nutricional e reduzido impacto ambiental. Este estudo analisa a literatura disponível sobre a utilização de insetos como fonte de proteína para consumo humano. Espécies como Tenebrio molitor (tenébrio) e Acheta domesticus (grilo doméstico) apresentam elevada quantidade de proteína, lípidos, vitaminas, minerais e fibra, podendo substituir, parcialmente, as proteínas convencionais. A produção de insetos requer menos água e terra e gera menores emissões de gases de efeito estufa do que a produção pecuária convencional, e a sua capacidade de valorizar subprodutos agroalimentares contribui para a economia circular. Contudo, a bioacumulação de contaminantes e a repulsa cultural por parte dos consumidores constituem barreiras à adoção generalizada do consumo de insetos, exigindo boas práticas de produção e estratégias para aumentar a aceitação por parte do consumidor. Os insetos representam, assim, uma fonte proteica sustentável e eficiente, capaz de diversificar a alimentação e reduzir a pressão sobre os recursos naturais, consolidando o seu papel em sistemas alimentares resilientes e sustentáveis, alinhados com o conceito de Uma Só Saúde.
- Harnessing Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Sustainable Food Waste Valorisation and Pathogen BioremediationPublication . Oliveira, Joana; Ligeiro, Carolina; Fantatto, Rafaela; Souza, Clarice; Grilo, Miguel L.; Carvalho, Carina; Trindade, Alexandre; Murta, Daniel; Assunção, RicardoFood waste is a pressing challenge for public health and environmental sustainability, with an estimated 59 million tonnes generated annually in the European Union. This substantial waste compromises the resilience of agrifood systems, intensifies food insecurity, and hampers efforts toward achieving a circular economy [2]. The insect Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) present a promising and innovative approach to addressing these issues by efficiently converting organic waste into valuable outputs, such as high-protein animal feed and fertilisers. Despite the industrial valorisation of agricultural by-products, BSFL’s potential to fully utilise food waste remains subject to some legal restrictions. This study, conducted in collaboration with Ingredient Odyssey SA – EntoGreen, investigated the suitability of food waste as a substrate for BSFL production and assessed the larvae's bioremediation potential for reducing foodborne pathogens. An industrial-scale trial was performed over 14 days, using 114 test units with food waste-based substrates and 144 control units with Gainesville Diet, a standard insect feed. Two tonnes of food waste sourced from restaurants in Santarém, Portugal, were collected and prepared by removing physical contaminants such as plastic, cutlery, and cans. The food waste was then mixed with wheat bran, and its moisture was adjusted to 70% to create an optimal substrate. Measurements, including larval weight and substrate temperature, were taken every other day, while microbiological analyses followed ISO standards to detect pathogens and enumerate microorganisms. Results showed that food waste substrate significantly enhanced larval growth and bioconversion rates while bioremediating pathogens, including Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., and Salmonella spp. These results highlight the potential of BSFL to transform food waste into valuable resources while mitigating microbial risks, demonstrating a scalable and sustainable solution for food waste valorisation and contributing to a circular economy.