Characterization of all life stages of Tenebrio molitor: Envisioning innovative applications for this edible insect
DATE:
2024-12
UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER: http://hdl.handle.net/11093/7187
EDITED VERSION: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2666833524001102
UNESCO SUBJECT: 2302 Bioquímica ; 2401 Biología Animal (Zoología) ; 2413 Biología de Insectos (Entomología)
DOCUMENT TYPE: article
ABSTRACT
The human food security is unavoidably dependent on exploring novel nutritional sources, such as edible insects.
However, insects farming needs to improve their rearing practices, such as extracting value from all growing
stages, from larvae until adults. In this work, a full characterization of larvae, pupae and adults of Tenebrio molitor
was carried out. Higher protein and ash contents were observed in pupae, while higher lipids (mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA) were observed in larvae, decreasing until reaching the adult stage. Chitin content
was 6-fold higher in adults than larvae and pupae. Also, it was possible to quantify the chitin resorting to
computed 3D tomography, achieving similar values as the traditional and chemically based method. Lower
mineral content was found in larvae, while high iron, zinc and copper levels were found in beetles. Phenolic
compounds content was similar among larvae, pupae and beetles. FTIR analysis was a valuable, easy, and fast
method to assess the nutritional composition of T. molitor, detecting vibrations characteristic of protein, lipids
and chitin fractions. This study provides a full characterization of all life stages of T. molitor, highlighting the
possible valorisation chains that can be adopted to obtain highly nutritive and/or functional compounds