Silkworm pupae as a future food with nutritional and medicinal benefits

Silkworm pupae (SWP), a major by-product of the silk reeling industry, can be used as an alternative dietary supplement with high nutritional and therapeutic value. For every 1 kg of raw silk approximately 8.014 kg wet and 2 kg of dry SWP as a waste by-product. SWP consists of 18 amino acids which include all the essential amino acids, proteins (∼62%), fatty acids (∼30%), vitamins and minerals. It contains a higher amount of calorigenic nutrients, compared to other conventional food. In some Asian countries including the Northeastern states of India, the consumption of SWP has a long history. SWP has shown diverse biological properties including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-tyrosinase, antidiabetic, antitumor, anti-apoptotic, anti-genotoxic, hepatovascular and cardiovascular protective with immunomodulatory potential. This mini-review provides critical insights on the future use of SWP as dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products.