Estimation of food pest invasion period and death time using morphological changes profiling and nucleic acid degradation degree

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23698
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0604:Agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Matsumoto Saki 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 食品研究部門, 研究員 (80846965)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 異物混入 / 食品害虫 / 破損指標 / 核酸残存量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aims to estimate the timing of invasion and death of pest insects based on their morphological change and the amount of nucleic acid remaining. Drop tests were conducted to evaluate the damage to insect morphology caused by drop shock. The number of fragments produced and the cracks on the body surface were correlated with the drop height. The number of fragments and cracks were found to be potential indicators of insect damage.
Quantitative comparison of nucleic acids degrading with the time elapsed after death was also conducted. It was found that the degree of degradation varied depending on the insecticidal method and the time elapsed after death.

Free Research Field

食料工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食品流通において害虫が発見された際，専門機関（企業，公的機関）において食品表示や保管状況，害虫が発見された系などの情報と種同定の結果から混入時期を推定している．しかし得られる情報の制限によって混入時期が推定できないケースが3割程度あることが報告されている．本課題の学術的意義は，害虫の形態変化プロファイリングによる，これまで用いられなかった新しい指標を提示したことにある．害虫混入に関する状況判断に新しい選択肢をもたらしたことは，社会的に大きな意義を有している．