Chemical Composition and Protein Structure of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) at Different Growth Stages for Development as an Alternative Food Source in the Future
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Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition and protein structure of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) at different growth stages: larvae (12 weeks old), pupae (1 day old), and adults (10-15 days old) to evaluate their potential as an alternative food source. Results showed that the pupal stage had the highest protein content (54.38 %) with key muscle proteins such as Tropomyosin, Troponin, and Actin. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed the accumulation of small molecular weight proteins (10-20 kDa) in adults, corresponding with increased chitin content (23.26 %) and decreased fat content (10.41 %). Fatty acid analysis showed that oleic acid (C18:1n9c) was the predominant fatty acid (46.28-49.54 %), followed by linoleic acid (C18:2n6c) (19.84-24.86 %). Regarding minerals, phosphorus and sulfur increased in adults (36.465 % and 26.716 %, respectively), while magnesium and calcium decreased significantly (p<0.05). Protein structure analysis using FTIR and PCA demonstrated distinct changes in secondary structure, with ß-sheet being the major component (51-55 %). This study demonstrates that mealworms have the potential for development as an alternative food source with high nutritional value, with growth stages significantly affecting their chemical composition and protein structure.
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