Abstract:As a sustainable protein source, insect protein can be widely used in food, nutraceuticals, feed and other fields, effectively replacing traditional animal protein, playing a positive role in environmental protection and alleviating the food crisis. In this study, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae were taken as the research object, and the process of ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction of its protein was optimized. And the nutritional value of black soldier fly larvae protein was analyzed. The optimization of the protein extraction process was carried out by the Box-Behnken response surface test designed with four factors and three levels on the basis of one-factor tests. The optimal extraction conditions, which were determined by combining the actual production, were as follows: ultrasonic power: 342 W, time: 60 min, NaOH concentration: 24.5 g/L, liquid-solid ratio: 56 mL/g, and total volume: 75 mL. The theoretical prediction of the maximum extraction ratio is 82.61%. The validation value of the three parallel experiments was 80.37%. The isoelectric point of the black soldier fly larval protein is 4.0. The crude protein content of the prepared protein sample from the black soldier fly larvae was 80.75%. The content of various essential amino acids in black soldier fly larvae protein is higher than the amino acid scoring model for adults proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2013, with high nutritional value. In this study, a method of ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction of black soldier fly larvae protein was optimized, and protein samples prepared met the amino acid requirements of adults, providing some value for the application of black soldier fly and other insects in the food industry.
