Use of lactic acid bacteria to reduce the IgE-reactivity of the arginine kinase allergen from the edible insect Hermetia illucens

One of the main concerns associated to the consumption of edible insects is the allergenic risk. Arginine kinase is known to cause allergic reactions to mites and crustaceans, and recent studies have supported its role as an allergenic protein in edible insects. In this work, we explore the use of proliferating and non-proliferating lactic acid bacteria from two different species (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei) to induce modification of the structure of arginine kinase, thereby reducing its IgE-reactivity. Incubation with proliferating bacteria leads to the insolubilization of arginine kinase associated to a reduced IgE-reactivity, while nonproliferating bacteria likely degrade the protein into smaller peptides, also reducing IgE-reactivity. However, while these promising results indicate the possibility for reducing the allergenic potential of arginine kinase through the use of lactic acid bacteria, further studies are needed to validate these findings in the more complex structure of insect powder, which could be used as an ingredient in food production.