Sosuae Mealworm Registered as Functional Ingredient in Health Foods: "Aids in Maintaining Muscle Strength"

Recognized as a Health Functional Food Ingredient by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
Rural Development Administration Confirms 5.4 kg Increase in Grip Strength in Human Trials
Chuncheon Insect Industry Base Complex Established... Full-scale Production of "Sosuae" Ingredients Planned

The hydrolysate, which is obtained by enzymatically breaking down the protein of the mealworm larva (Tenebrio molitor) into amino acids, has been recognized as a functional ingredient for health functional foods that can help maintain muscle strength.

On September 21, the Rural Development Administration announced that hydrolysate derived from Sosuae (mealworm larvae) has been registered as a functional ingredient for health functional foods after being acknowledged by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its ability to help maintain muscle strength, which can decline due to aging.

Health functional ingredient recognized for 'muscle strength maintenance' and related products by Soea Go. Rural Development Administration

Since registering Sosuae as a general food ingredient in the Food Code in March of this year, the Rural Development Administration has continued research to utilize it as a new protein source. A clinical study on nutritional improvement in cancer patients after surgery confirmed that Sosuae helped suppress muscle loss and enhance immune cell function. In addition, when cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy consumed Sosuae shakes, their protein intake rate increased. Other positive effects, such as increased muscle mass and mitigation of side effects from chemotherapy, were also observed.

A representative from the Rural Development Administration stated, "Dried Sosuae powder is rich in protein and helps maintain muscle strength, but due to the high molecular weight nature of the protein, it takes time to digest and absorb and has limitations in being processed into various formulations. To address this, we developed a hydrolysate manufacturing technology by treating defatted Sosuae powder with hydrolytic enzymes to break down the high-molecular-weight protein into low-molecular-weight protein."

To verify the effectiveness of the Sosuae hydrolysate, the Rural Development Administration conducted a human trial in which 44 adults aged 50 to 75 were given 2 grams of Sosuae hydrolysate daily for 12 weeks. As a result, the average grip strength increased by 5.4 kg, from 21.4 kg to 26.8 kg, indicating an improvement in muscle strength indicators. Furthermore, in the "sit-to-stand test (repeat five times using a chair)", the time taken decreased from 7.38 seconds to 6.23 seconds, showing improved physical performance. Examination of the quadriceps (which supports body weight with the knee extended) also revealed that extensor muscle strength increased 7.7 times and flexor muscle strength increased 2.3 times.

The Rural Development Administration expects a bright future for the industrial use of Sosuae. On September 8, the government completed the first base complex for the mass production of insect ingredients in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. This facility can produce up to 1,000 tons per year and will begin full-scale production of Sosuae ingredients to be used in a variety of products such as health functional foods, drinks, protein powders, and medical foods (medifood).

Namjeong Kim, Director General of the Agricultural Life Organisms Bureau at the Rural Development Administration, said, "This achievement is highly significant as it marks a milestone in the health functional food market, with insects advancing from general foods to functional ingredients. Moving forward, we plan to promote public-private cooperation to develop and commercialize insect protein as a functional ingredient, further fostering it as a reliable new growth engine for our agricultural ecosystem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.