Termites are widely used as a food resource, particularly in Africa and Asia. Markets for insects as food are also expanding worldwide. To inform the development of insect-based foods, we analysed selected minerals (Fe-Mn-Zn-Cu-Mg) in wild-harvested and commercially available termites. Mineral values were compared to selected commercially available insects. Alate termites, of the genera Macrotermes and Odontotermes, showed remarkably high manganese (Mn) content (292-515 mg/100 gdw), roughly 50-100 times the concentrations detected in other insects. Other mineral elements occur at moderate concentrations in all insects examined. On further examination, the Mn is located primarily in the abdomens of the Macrotermes subhyalinus; with scanning electron microscopy revealing small spherical structures highly enriched for Mn. We identify the fungus comb, of Macrotermes subhyanus, as a potential biological source of the high Mn concentrations. Consuming even small quantities of termite alates could exceed current upper recommended intakes for Mn in both adults and children. Given the widespread use of termites as food, a better understanding the sources, distribution and bio-availability of these high Mn concentrations in termite alates is needed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63157-7 | DOI Listing |
Biosystems
December 2024
Division of Industrial Mathematics, National Institute for Mathematical Sciences Daejeon, 34047, Republic of Korea.
Subterranean termites build complex underground tunnel networks to efficiently gather food. Empirical observations indicate specific individuals are dedicated to tunneling, rarely interchanging tasks. However, considering the limited tunneling energy of termite populations, it is reasonable to expect regular task shifts between fatigued and rested individuals to maintain continuous tunneling and optimize foraging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe imago of N. callimorphus is described for the first time. Nasutitermes callimorphus occurs from Mexico to Paraguay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDentispicotermes trapezia sp. nov. is described from the soldier and worker castes of specimens collected in Pantanal-Chaco Region of Bolivia and Paraguay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Microbiol
November 2024
Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
Some essential information on gut bacterial profiles and their unique contributions to food digestion in wood-feeding termites (WFT) and soil-feeding termites (SFT) is still inadequate. The feeding type of termites is hypothesized to influence their gut bacterial composition and its functionality in degrading lignocellulose or other organic chemicals. This could potentially provide alternative approaches for the degradation of some recalcitrant environmental chemicals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
November 2024
Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) in the form of agricultural, forestry, and agro-industrial wastes is globally generated in large volumes every year. The chemical components of LCB render them a substrate valuable for biofuel production. It is hard to dissolve LCB resources for biofuel production because the lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose parts stick together rigidly.
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