A study conducted in the laboratory of Prof. Betty Schwartz of the Hebrew University reveals for the first time the anti-inflammatory properties of black soldier fly oil and its future uses – first in the animal food industry and later in Bnei EdM
This may sound strange, but the Black Soldier’s fly (Hermetia inclining, BSF) is considered a rising star in the category of future sustainable foods in the animal feed industry. The use of fly larvae as an alternative to proteins extracted from waste common in the pet food industry, is an appropriate protein substitute and provides high-quality products with a high protein content that are rich in essential amino acids. The black soldier fly larvae contain about 40% protein and about 35% fat, but while the protein extracted from the maggots is used as a premium product for pet feeding and the field of aquaculture today, the applied potential of oil extraction is undefined.
A study currently underway by doctoral student Hadas Richter in the laboratory of Prof. Betty Schwartz, in the Department of Food Chemistry and Nutrition at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University, with the support of Entoprotech Ltd and BioBee Sde Eliyahu Ltd, Examines for the first time the nutritional benefits of BSF oil, specifically its effect on inflammation. The study was first presented at an agricultural conference in Israel last week. “BSF oil contains about 40-50% uric acid, a fatty acid with antimicrobial properties and anti-inflammatory effects in the colon,” said Hadas Richter. “In addition to lauric acid, the oil contains palmitic acid and oleic acid, which have been reported in studies to have a positive effect on the microbiome composition and reduce intestinal inflammation. This is, until now. “The researchers found that the black soldier’s fly oil reduced inflammation in macrophages of the immune system, by suppressing the expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins that form the basis for intercellular communication in immune responses).
In addition, in an experiment in laboratory mice in the acute colitis model (inflammatory bowel disease), the black soldier’s fly oil significantly reduced clinical signs of the disease. “A diet based on 20% BSF oil moderated the shortening of the intestinal length and prevented enlargement of the spleen, compared to diets containing 20% palm oil or 20% soybean oil,” Richter explained. In the analysis of intestinal tissue, it was found that the levels of white blood cells of the lymphocyte B type in the intestinal tissue of mice suffering from colitis who were fed on a BSF diet were significantly lower compared to mice fed on a palm diet or soy diet. Lymphocytes are white cells of the acquired (adaptive) immune system and are mobilized with the development of the chronic phase of the disease in order to neutralize the pathogen and produce immune memory.
Prof. Betty Schwartz concludes: “An anti-inflammatory diet adapted for colitis patients can serve as a line of defense for the regression and remission of the disease. Our goal is to explore the potential of black soldier fly oil as an ingredient in an adapted diet for inflammatory bowel disease. Our research results can be used by industry The food for animals in the first stage, but later also for people. “