Nutritional Potential of Selected Insect Species Reared on the Island of Sumatra

Anna Adámková, Jiří Mlček, Lenka Kouřimská, Marie Borkovcová, Tomáš Bušina, Martin Adámek, Martina Bednářová and Jan Krajsa
Additional contact information
Anna Adámková: Department of Quality of Agricultural Products, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Jiří Mlček: Department of Food Analysis and Chemistry, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, 760 01 Zlin, Czech Republic
Lenka Kouřimská: Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Marie Borkovcová: Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture, Mendel University, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Tomáš Bušina: Department of Husbandry and Ethology of Animals, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
Martin Adámek: Department of Microelectronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, 616 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Martina Bednářová: Department of Information Technology, Mendel University, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Jan Krajsa: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 601 77 Brno, Czech Republic

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Inhabitants of the Indonesian island of Sumatra are faced with the problem of insufficient food supplies and the consequent risk of undernourishment and health issues. Edible insects as a traditional and readily available food source could be part of the solution. The nutritional value of insects depends on many factors, e.g., species, developmental stage, sex, diet, and climatic conditions. However, edible insects bred in Sumatra for human consumption have never before been assessed with regard to their nutritional value. Our study involved analyses of crude protein, chitin, fat and selected fatty acid contents of giant mealworm larvae ( Zophobas morio ), larvae of the common mealworm ( Tenebrio molitor) and nymphs of the field cricket ( Gryllus assimilis ). Crude protein content in the samples ranged from 46% to 56%. Highest (35%) and lowest (31%) amounts of fat were recorded in giant mealworm larvae and larvae of the common mealworm, respectively. Chitin amounts ranged from 6% to 13%. Based on these values, which are comparable to those known from other food insects reared in different regions of the world, the edible species bred in Sumatra could become food sources with a potential to help stave off hunger and undernourishment.

Keywords: edible insect; Tenebrio molitor; Zophobas morio; Gryllus assimilis; crude protein; fats; amino acid profile; chitin; Indonesia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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