Barbara Prandi

Abstract The growing demand for sustainable protein sources necessitates alternatives that preserve whole-body nitrogen balance. Alphitobius diaperinus, authorised for human consumption in the European Union, is a promising option due to its high protein content, indispensable amino acid (IAA) profile and in vitro digestibility.

Arginine kinase (AK) is an important enzyme for energy metabolism of invertebrate cells by participating in the maintenance of constant levels of ATP. However, AK is also recognized as a major allergen in insects and crustaceans capable of cross-reactivity with sera of patients sensitized to orthologous proteins. In the perspective of introducing insects or their derivatives in the human diet in Western world, it is of primary importance to evaluate possible risks for allergic consumers.