BugBook: Common pitfalls and practical recommendations for chemical analysis of insect biomass

Abstract The rapid growth of the insect industry as a sustainable solution for feed, food, and biomaterials highlights the urgent need for standardised chemical analyses of insect biomass. Currently, the lack of standardised protocols has led to researchers employing diverse methodologies they perceive as most appropriate. This variability introduces the risk of inconsistency when comparing results, like comparing apples with oranges, and hampers progress in the field. Standardised methods of analysis for insect matrices are essential to ensure uniformity, reliability, and comparability of data, fostering trust and efficiency within the scientific and industrial communities. Establishing standard methods is the responsibility of specialized institutions like the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists or the International Organization for Standardization. Thus, rather than prescribing standard methods, the focus of this article is on identifying challenges with the current state-of-the-art, emphasizing the need for consensus-based approaches, and helping researchers interpret differences between the various methods reported in the literature. In the absence of standardised methods much can already be gained through provisional uniformization efforts. This article therefore outlines specific recommendations for sampling and key proximate analyses, including fat and fatty acid profiling, protein and amino acid quantification, ash determination, and the assessment of chitin, and nitrogen-free extract. Emphasis is also placed on the importance of accurate reporting, as documentation of methods will enhance data transparency, facilitate reproducibility, and strengthen cross-study comparisons. These efforts aim to streamline future research but also reduce inconsistencies in published data, ensuring the scientific community is no longer bugged by methodological uncertainties.