Impact of extraction protocol on protein from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae: characterization, protein composition, allergen mapping and protein quality
摘要
Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae (BSFL) has emerged as a promising sustainable alternative protein source. However, the impact of extraction protocols on the structure, composition, allergenicity, and nutritional quality of protein BSFL protein (BSFLP) remains poorly understood. This study evaluated three solution-based extraction protocols (NaOH, SDS, and Tris-HCl) for BSFLP. Notably, NaOH-based protocol achieved the most combined effect in protein yield (22.74%) and purity (795.36 ± 17.18 mg/g), while the microstructures generated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed roughest surface texture with abundant cavities. Furthermore, the above alkaline assisted extraction produced proteins with the highest β-sheet content (49.21%) and good thermal stability. Allergen profiling revealed NaOH extraction as the optimal protocol for minimizing immunogenic components, confirming the low immunogenicity of BSFLP. Nutritional profiling demonstrated that all extracts met FAO/WHO amino acid standards, with essential amino acid scores exceeding reference values by 40%. Therefore, BSFLP extracted by NaOH showed both low potential allergenicity and high nutritional completeness, positioning it as a novel sustainable protein source for addressing global food.