Before edible insects may be used as an alternative food, it is necessary to develop basic product forms and evaluate their characteristics. We made two basic commercial products (defatted powder and oil) from mealworm, a popular edible insect. The defatted mealworm powder possessed a sufficient amount of protein, and it had a savory taste due to plentiful free amino acids. Additionally, it had abundant minor nutrients and bioactive compounds. The physicochemical properties of mealworm oil were very similar to vegetable oil, and mealworm oil was also abundant in bioactive nutrients, especially γ-tocopherol. In addition, the predicted shelf life of mealworm oil was suitable for commercial use. Moreover, mealworm had high antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities, which may arise from functional peptides and glucosamine derivatives such as chitin and chitosan. In short, the defatted mealworm powder and mealworm oil could be successfully used as novel food ingredients.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023496 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods9010040 | DOI Listing |
Bioresour Technol
December 2024
Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas Y Biomédicas del Sur, INBIOSUR (CONICET-UNS), San Juan 671, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina; Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica Y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Electronic address:
Tenebrio molitor has gained attention as a potential solution for plastic pollution. This study explored the biodegradation of polystyrene (PS) by mealworms co-fed with rice bran (RB) under an optimized rearing scheme. The RB co-diet significantly increased PS consumption by two-fold compared to wheat bran (WB).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn Acad Bras Cienc
December 2024
Universidade CEUMA, Laboratório de Cências Biomédicas, Rua Josué Montello, 1, Renascença II, 65075-120 São Luís, MA, Brazil.
The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of Syzygium aromaticum essential oil (SAEO), both as its toxicity and biological activities on Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The essential oil (EO) was obtained by hydrodistillation and verified by GC-MS. The main chemical components were eugenol (48.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFoods
November 2024
Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska St. 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
During defatted (TM) larvae powder production, oil is obtained as a by-product, mainly intended for feed enrichment or as a biofuel component. In 2021, EFSA authorized TM as the first insect to be a novel food. Thus, the study aimed to assess the composition, including fatty acids (FAs), tocopherols, carotenoids, phenolics, volatiles, antioxidant capacity, sensory aroma attributes, physical properties, and oxidative and hydrolytic stability of TM oil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFood Chem
February 2025
Department of Technique and Food Product Development, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address:
This study explores the extraction of proteins from edible insects such as Tenebrio molitor, Acheta domesticus, and Locusta migratoria using alkaline extraction and acid precipitation (AEAP) as a control method and evaluates the influence of salting-in (NaCl-assisted), salting-out ((NH₄)₂SO₄), and combined salting-in/out techniques on the resulting protein quality and functional properties. We hypothesized that salt-assisted methods would enhance protein extraction efficiency and functionality compared to AEAP. Molecular size distribution analysis confirmed that the salting-out method preferentially aggregated smaller proteins (<30 kDa).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
November 2024
Department of Biodiversity, Institute for Science and High Technology and Environmental Science, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran.
The essential oil extracted from larvae (EOTM) is a natural product containing trace elements with potential therapeutic properties. This study aimed to assess the anticancer effects of EOTM and its synergistic interactions with zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonate drug, on prostate cancer cell lines. The chemical composition of EOTM was analyzed using GC-MS revealing a high concentration of fatty acids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!