The yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor is one of the most promising edible insect species for human consumption and its potential use as a supplement of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) for human diet, has been recently confirmed. The possibility to enhance polyunsaturated acids (PUFA), especially omega-3 (n-3) content, was evaluated in T. molitor mealworms. The purpose was to obtain an n-6/n-3 ratio more suitable for human consumption, which is useful for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. To this end, tests were carried out by adding linseed, as source of n-3 acid, to insect feeding diets. A decrease of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase of PUFA contents, especially n-3 acid, was simultaneously observed in larvae fed on almost all the diets enriched with linseed. As a result, supplementation of feeding diets with linseed determined a favorable insect growth rate and a decrease of n-6/n-3 ratio to values more suitable for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Francardi, V., Cito, A., Fusi, S., Botta, M., Dreassi, E. (2017). Linseed to increase n-3 fatty acids in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae). REDIA, 100(7), 73-76 [10.19263/REDIA-100.17.08].
Linseed to increase n-3 fatty acids in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae)
CITO, ANNARITA;BOTTA, MAURIZIO;DREASSI, ELENA
2017-01-01
Abstract
The yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor is one of the most promising edible insect species for human consumption and its potential use as a supplement of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) for human diet, has been recently confirmed. The possibility to enhance polyunsaturated acids (PUFA), especially omega-3 (n-3) content, was evaluated in T. molitor mealworms. The purpose was to obtain an n-6/n-3 ratio more suitable for human consumption, which is useful for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. To this end, tests were carried out by adding linseed, as source of n-3 acid, to insect feeding diets. A decrease of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase of PUFA contents, especially n-3 acid, was simultaneously observed in larvae fed on almost all the diets enriched with linseed. As a result, supplementation of feeding diets with linseed determined a favorable insect growth rate and a decrease of n-6/n-3 ratio to values more suitable for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/11365/1010064