Research conducted in the laboratory of Prof. Betty Schwartz from the Hebrew University reveals for the first time the anti-inflammatory properties of the black soldier fly oil and its future uses - first in the animal food industry and later for childrenם
It may sound strange, but the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) is considered a rising star in the category of future sustainable foods in the animal feed industry. Using the fly larvae as an alternative to proteins that are produced from waste that is common in the pet food industry, is an adequate protein substitute and provides high-quality products with a high protein content that are rich in essential amino acids. The maggots of the black soldier fly contain about 40% protein and about 35% fat, but while the protein extracted from the maggots is already used as a premium product for pet food and aquaculture today, the applied potential of the oil extraction is undefined.
A study that is currently being conducted by doctoral student Hadas Richter in the laboratory of Prof. Betty Schwartz, in the Department of Food and Nutrition Biochemistry in the Faculty of Food and Environmental Agriculture 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 research was presented for the first time at the Agricultural Sciences Conference in Israel that took place last week. "The BSF oil contains about 40-50% lauric acid, a fatty acid with antimicrobial properties and anti-inflammatory effects in the large intestine," said Hadas Richter. "In addition to lauric acid, the oil contains palmitoleic acid and oleic acid, which have been reported in studies as having a positive effect on the composition of the microbiome and reducing intestinal inflammation. Therefore, the oil extracted from the maggots of the black soldier fly has the potential to offer a unique mechanism for the prevention or treatment of inflammatory conditions, but the oil has not been studied in this field, until now." The researchers found that the oil of the black soldier fly reduced inflammation in the macrophage cells of the immune system, by suppressing Expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins that form the basis of communication between cells in the reactions of the immune system).
In addition, in an experiment with laboratory mice in an acute colitis (inflammatory bowel disease) model, black soldier fly oil significantly reduced clinical signs of the disease. "A diet based on 20% BSF oil moderated the shortening of the length of the intestine and prevented the enlargement of the spleen, compared to diets containing 20% palm oil or 20% soybean oil," explained Richter. In the analysis of the intestinal tissue, it was found that the levels of white blood cells of type B lymphocytes in the intestinal tissue of the mice suffering from colitis that were fed on the BSF diet were significantly lower compared to mice that were fed on a palm diet or a soy diet. Lymphocytes are white cells of the acquired (adaptive) immune system and are recruited with the development of the chronic phase of the disease in order to neutralize the pathogen and produce immune memory.
Prof. Betty Schwartz summarizes: "An anti-inflammatory diet adapted to colitis patients can serve as a line of defense for withdrawal and to prevent remission of the disease. Our goal is to investigate the potential of black soldier fly oil as an ingredient in a diet adapted to the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. The results of our research can be used for the animal food industry in the first stage, but later also for people."
