journal article Open Access Oct 05, 2024

The Nutritional Quality of Commercially Bred Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Compared to European Union Nutrition Claims

Insects Vol. 15 No. 10 pp. 769 · MDPI AG
View at Publisher Save 10.3390/insects15100769
Abstract
Due to its potential as a sustainable protein source, the industrial relevance of Tenebrio molitor, known as yellow mealworm, is set to increase substantially. Given the novelty of its application in the food industry, knowledge is lacking regarding the nutritional quality of commercially farmed mealworms. This study investigated the nutritional composition of larvae from four different rearing facilities in Belgium and specifically investigated whether their nutritional profiles adhered to defined European nutrition claims (Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006). In particular, the European nutrition claims “high in protein”, “high unsaturated fat”, “high in fibre” and “rich in P, Mg, K, Zn and Mn” were applicable for all mealworm samples on a dry matter basis. On a fresh matter basis, yellow mealworms were found to be “high in protein”, “high unsaturated fat” and “low in sugar”.
Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References
41
[1]
Bessa "Insects as Human Food; from Farm to Fork" J. Sci. Food Agric. (2020) 10.1002/jsfa.8860
[2]
Paoletti, M.G. (2005). Insects in the Human Diet: Nutritional Aspects. Ecological Implications of Minilivestock; Role of Rodents, Frogs, Snails, and Insects for Sustainable Development, Science Publishers. 10.1201/9781482294439-34
[3]
Bychkova, E., Rozhdestvenskaya, L., Podgorbunskikh, E., and Kudachyova, P. (2023). The Problems and Prospects of Developing Food Products from High-Protein Raw Materials. Food Biosci., 56. 10.1016/j.fbio.2023.103286
[4]
Van Huis, A., Van Itterbeeck, J., Klunder, H., Mertens, E., Halloran, A., Muir, G., and Vantomme, P. (2013). Edible Insects. Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[5]
IPIFF (2023). IPIFF Perspectives on the Evolution of the European Insect Sector towards 2030: Current EU Regulatory Status, Existing Opportunities and Prospects for Development, IPIFF.
[6]
Ribeiro "A Review of the Scientific Literature for Optimal Conditions for Mass Rearing Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)" J. Entomol. Sci. (2018)
[7]
Robinson, W.H. (2005). Urban Insects and Arachnids—A Handbook of Urban Entomology, Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/cbo9780511542718
[8]
Osimani "Insight into the Proximate Composition and Microbial Diversity of Edible Insects Marketed in the European Union" Eur. Food Res. Technol. (2017) 10.1007/s00217-016-2828-4
[9]
Van Peer, M., Frooninckx, L., Coudron, C., Berrens, S., Álvarez, C., Deruytter, D., Verheyen, G., and Van Miert, S. (2021). Valorisation Potential of Using Organic Side Streams as Feed. Insects, 12. 10.3390/insects12090796
[10]
Kröncke, N., and Benning, R. (2023). Influence of Dietary Protein Content on the Nutritional Composition of Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor L.). Insects, 14. 10.3390/insects14030261
[11]
"Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)-Optimization of Rearing Conditions to Obtain Desired Nutritional Values" J. Insect Sci. (2020) 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa100
[12]
Noyens, I., Schoeters, F., Van Peer, M., Berrens, S., Goossens, S., and Van Miert, S. (2023). The Nutritional Profile, Mineral Content and Heavy Metal Uptake of Yellow Mealworm Reared with Supplementation of Agricultural Sidestreams. Sci. Rep., 13. 10.1038/s41598-023-38747-w
[13]
Fondevila "Productive Performance of Tenebrio molitor Larvae in Response to the Protein Level in the Substrate" J. Insects Food Feed (2023) 10.3920/jiff2022.0037
[14]
Oonincx, D.G.A.B., Van Broekhoven, S., Van Huis, A., and Van Loon, J.J.A. (2015). Feed Conversion, Survival and Development, and Composition of Four Insect Species on Diets Composed of Food by-Products. PLoS ONE, 10. 10.1371/journal.pone.0144601
[15]
Review of food composition data for edible insects

Verena Nowak, Diedelinde Persijn, Doris Rittenschober et al.

Food Chemistry 2016 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.10.114
[16]
Boulos, S., Tännler, A., and Nyström, L. (2020). Nitrogen-to-Protein Conversion Factors for Edible Insects on the Swiss Market: T. Molitor, A. Domesticus, and L. Migratoria. Front. Nutr., 7. 10.3389/fnut.2020.00089
[17]
Methods for Dietary Fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber, and Nonstarch Polysaccharides in Relation to Animal Nutrition

P.J. Van Soest, J.B. Robertson, B.A. Lewis

Journal of Dairy Science 1991 10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(91)78551-2
[18]
Kipkoech "Beyond Proteins—Edible Insects as a Source of Dietary Fiber" Polysaccharides (2023) 10.3390/polysaccharides4020009
[19]
Refael "Responses of the Human Gut Microbiota to Physiologically Digested Insect Powders or Isolated Chitin Thereof" Future Foods (2022) 10.1016/j.fufo.2022.100197
[20]
Stull "Chitin and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Edible Insects Have Underexplored Benefits for the Gut Microbiome and Human Health" Nat. Food (2023) 10.1038/s43016-023-00728-7
[21]
Estimate of chitin in raw whole insects

Mark D. Finke

Zoo Biology 2007 10.1002/zoo.20123
[22]
Kim "Evaluation of Subchronic Oral Dose Toxicity and Allergen of Freeze-Dried Powder of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) as a Novel Food Source" Toxicol. Res. (2023) 10.1007/s43188-023-00171-7
[23]
"Changes in the Chemical Composition of the Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Reared on Different Feedstuffs" J. Anim. Feed Sci. (2022) 10.22358/jafs/147848/2022
[24]
Son, Y.J., Hwang, I.K., Nho, C.W., Kim, S.M., and Kim, S.H. (2021). Determination of Carbohydrate Composition in Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Larvae and Characterization of Mealworm Chitin and Chitosan. Foods, 10. 10.3390/foods10030640
[25]
Selaledi "The Use of Yellow Mealworm (T. Molitor) as Alternative Source of Protein in Poultry Diets: A Review" Trop. Anim. Health Prod. (2020) 10.1007/s11250-019-02033-7
[26]
Zwart "Improving the Calcium Content of Mealworms" Int. Zoo Yearb. (1979) 10.1111/j.1748-1090.1979.tb00574.x
[27]
Stein "Digestibility of Calcium in Feed Ingredients and Requirements of Digestible Calcium for Growing Pigs" Anim. Prod. Sci. (2016) 10.1071/an15352
[28]
Kwiatkowska "Feed Additives Regulating Calcium Homeostasis in the Bones of Poultry—A Review" Ann. Anim. Sci. (2017) 10.1515/aoas-2016-0031
[29]
Pu "Calcium Intake, Calcium Homeostasis and Health" Food Sci. Hum. Wellness (2016) 10.1016/j.fshw.2016.01.001
[30]
Dreassi "Dietary Fatty Acids Influence the Growth and Fatty Acid Composition of the Yellow Mealworm Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)" Lipids (2017) 10.1007/s11745-016-4220-3
[31]
Finke "Complete Nutrient Composition of Commercially Raised Invertebrates Used as Food for Insectivores" Zoo Biol. (2002) 10.1002/zoo.10031
[32]
Oonincx "Growth Performance and Feed Conversion Efficiency of Three Edible Mealworm Species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on Diets Composed of Organic by-Products" J. Insect Physiol. (2015) 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.12.005
[33]
Bogusz, R., Bryś, J., Onopiuk, A., Pobiega, K., Tomczak, A., Kowalczewski, P.Ł., Rybak, K., and Nowacka, M. (2024). The Impact of Drying Methods on the Quality of Blanched Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Larvae. Molecules, 29. 10.3390/molecules29153679
[34]
Jankauskienė, A., Aleknavičius, D., Andrulevičiūtė, V., Mockus, E., Bartkienė, E., Juknienė, I., Kiseliovienė, S., Zavistanavičiūtė, P., Zaborskienė, G., and Kabašinskienė, A. (2024). Nutritional Composition and Safety Parameters of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) Reared on Substrates Derived from By-Products. Appl. Sci., 14. 10.3390/app14072744
[35]
Verheyen "The Application of Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Oil in Cosmetic Formulations" Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. (2023) 10.1002/ejlt.202200193
[36]
Hoc, B., Genva, M., Fauconnier, M.L., Lognay, G., Francis, F., and Caparros Megido, R. (2020). About Lipid Metabolism in Hermetia illucens (L. 1758): On the Origin of Fatty Acids in Prepupae. Sci. Rep., 10. 10.1038/s41598-020-68784-8
[37]
Thompson "The Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate on Larval Development and Lipogenesis in the Parasite, Exeristes roborator (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)" J. Parasitol. (1979) 10.2307/3280233
[38]
Canavoso "Fat Metabolism in Insects" Annu. Rev. Nutr. (2001) 10.1146/annurev.nutr.21.1.23
[39]
Fasel "Diet Induced Modifications of Fatty-Acid Composition in Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor)" J. Food Res. (2017) 10.5539/jfr.v6n5p22
[40]
Mattioli "Former Foodstuff in Mealworm Farming: Effects on Fatty Acids Profile, Lipid Metabolism and Antioxidant Molecules" LWT (2021) 10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111644
[41]
Barroso "Insect Meal as Renewable Source of Food for Animal Feeding: A Review" J. Clean. Prod. (2014) 10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.11.068