The steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm powder (SMSP) is developed by the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in 2012. In here, the nutritional components of SMSP produced by rearing white-silk cocoon silkworm, Baekokjam, at high temperatures were compared and analyzed with those produced under optimal temperature conditions of 25°C. The weight of silkworms reared in a high-temperature environment increased compared to that under an optimal condition. However, when the silkworms matured, the difference in weight according to temperature conditions narrowed. As for the growth rate, the 5th instar silkworms grew a day earlier in a high-temperature environment than in an optimal. SMSPs produced in a high-temperature environment showed a difference when comparing the nutritional components with the SMSPs in an optimal condition. Overall, high-temperature-reared SMSPs contained about twice as high carbohydrates and slightly lower protein and fat than the optimal-reared SMSPs. These results show that SMSPs produced in a high-temperature environment have a difference in growth rate and nutritional composition from those produced under an optimal condition.

Mature silkworm of Bombyx mori is known to contain various functional materials. However, it is too hard to chew or digest for humans when it is cooked or lyophilized. In Korea, the Rural Development Administration recently developed and patented a method for making mature silkworms edible. In this study, therefore, we examined the effects of a larval powder of steamed mature silkworm (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. For elucidating the depigmenting activity, lightness of a designated site on the murine dorsal skin was measured in vivo. During the experiment, hyperpigmentation was induced on the skin by cumulative exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. At the end of the experiment, melanin production on the skin was visualized by Fontana-Masson staining. Orally administered SMSP of pistachio cocoon strain for at least a month or longer significantly and reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by UVB on the murine dorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced hyperpigmentation. Taken together, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel anti-melanogenic agent, which showed depigmenting efficacy against UVB-induced hyperpigmentation in vivo when administered orally.

Steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm powders (SMSP) have various health improvement effects. However, westill do not know which substances are reponsible for varius health improvement effect yet. In this study, we comparedcontents of phytochemicals in SMSP to mulberry leaves and other silkworm powders. We found that SMSP have certainlevels of phyttochemicals and silk proteins. Our data suggested that various substances in SMSP are responsible for healthimprovements effect. (Project title: Elucidation the health improvement effects of boiled silk worm larvae, Project No:PJ010828012017)

The mature silkworms of Bombyx mori L. have recently been regarded as a potential health supplement due to gainingtheir edibility for humans by a newly-developed steaming method. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate theeffects of steamed and lyophilized mature silkworm powder (SMSP) on skin pigmentation and melanogenesis. Orally administeredSMSP significantly and dose-dependently reduced abnormal pigmentation caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) on the murinedorsal skin. SMSP also showed a potential anti-melanogenic efficacy in modulating UVB-induced melanogenesis. Takentogether, SMSP was identified as a potential candidate for a novel anti-melanogenic agent, which showed hypo-pigmentingefficacy against UVB-induced melanogenesis in vivo when administered orally.