Abstract
The yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L., Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is an edible insect, distributed worldwide and a convenient candidate for industrial-scale production. Mealworms could be commercially used for the substitution of conventional protein sources. In our previous study, it was found that T. molitor larvae predominantly contained crude protein (55.83%) and crude fat (25.19%), as well as low content of nitrogen-free extract (based on dry weight). Mealworm specimens were maintained in an incubator under controlled conditions in plastic containers. Insects were sieved and put into the container with boiling water and cooked for 180 seconds. Moisture content was determined as weight loss after drying of larvae. Amino acids were determined on an Agilent Technologies 1260 series HPLC system. Fatty acid composition was determined on a Thermo Scientific TRACE 1300 gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector using TR-FAME column. The results showed that the content of unsaturated fatty acid is very high, i.e. oleic acid (C18:1) formed the major lipid component in 40.83%, which was followed by linoleic acid (C18:2, omega-6 fatty acid) with 29.80% and linolenic acid (C18:3) with 1.08%. The essential amino acids are highly represented in the samples (in % dry matter). This primarily refers to isoleucine (4.12), tyrosine (3.86), phenylalanine (3.06), leucine (2.96), lysine (2.67) and methionine (1.76). The differences in essential fatty and amino acid content between our results and discussed literature data, could be the consequence of different substrates used for rearing of insects. After everything stated above, the biological value of T. molitor larvae proves that it could be suitable as animal feed.
Highlights
The world population is anticipated to reach 9 billion by 2050 and the challenge to feed the increasing population is huge, given the limited agricultural resources of land and water in the climate-change era (FAO, 2009)
The results showed that the content of unsaturated fatty acid is very high, i.e. oleic acid (C18:1) formed the major lipid component in 40.83%, which was followed by linoleic acid (C18:2, omega-6 fatty acid) with 29.80% and linolenic acid (C18:3) with 1.08%
The differences in essential fatty and amino acid content between our results and discussed literature data, could be the consequence of different substrates used for rearing of insects
Summary
The world population is anticipated to reach 9 billion by 2050 and the challenge to feed the increasing population is huge, given the limited agricultural resources of land and water in the climate-change era (FAO, 2009). Safeguarding sustainability has become the most pertinent challenge of today. In this context, insects could be viewed as an alternative source of animal feed and human food in terms of micro-livestock. Edible insects have played an important role in the long history of human nutrition in Africa, Asia and Latin America (Aletor, 1995). More than 1000 species of insects that are edible in a certain stage of their life cycle have been reported worldwide as traditional foods by humans and has been an important part of the nutritional intake and economic value of many societies (Illgner and Nel, 2000). There is scope for selective breeding and possibilities exist to fortify species with nutrient components they are lacking or to prepare a mixture of different insects as an ideal nutritional source used in insect flours or as food supplements. Inclusion of insects in the animal meat product industry should ease the excessive pressure on conventional livestock production and in turn on the environment (Gnosh et al, 2017)
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