Enhancing the Nutritional Profile of Tenebrio molitor Using the Leaves of Moringa oleifera

Abstract

Nowadays, more and more research is being carried out on various feeds of Tenebrio molitor larvae, in order to increase their nutritional value and render them a valuable component of the human diet. In this study, Moringa oleifera leaves were used in different proportions (up to 50%) to substitute wheat bran (the usually employed feed), in order to evaluate their effect on the growth and development of the larvae, as well as on their composition in crude protein, fat and fatty acids, ash, vitamins, and antioxidants. It was found that the addition of M. oleifera leaves in the feed had no negative impact on the development and survival of the insects, while an increase in their nutritional value was recorded. More specifically, an increase in the crude protein of up to 22.61% and vitamin C and A contents of up to 40.74% and 491.63%, respectively, was recorded. Therefore, the use of M. oleifera leaves as a feed additive is highly recommended for rearing T. molitor larvae to enhance the nutritional value of the insects.

Exploiting Agri-Food Waste as Feed for Tenebrio molitor Larvae Rearing: A Review

“…The weight of each larva was close to 60 mg, and the larvae also showed high viability (84.1%). Moreover, the larvae showed high protein content, reaching 45.96%, a percentage considerably high compared to the results recorded by previous studies (15.17%) [21], but in which a meager percentage (5%) of brewer's yeast was used. Regarding the nutritional profile of TM larvae in macrominerals, the following values were recorded: 0.06% Ca, 0.72% P, 0.29 Na, 0.16% Mg, and 1.00% K. Finally, regarding the microbiological profile of TM larvae, seven phyla were identified in the microbiota of TM larvae.…”

“…It is especially highlighted for having a remarkable quantity of crude protein, essential amino acids (EAAs), crude fat, essential fatty acids (EFAs), and a variety of minerals [15][16][17][18]. In particular, its protein content ranges from 13.7 to 60.2% [19,20], whereas its fat content fluctuates from 17.0 to 40.0% [21,22]. Furthermore, it boasts all of the EAAs (histidine (His), isoleucine (Iso), leucine (Leu), lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), phenylalanine (Phe), threonine (Thr), tryptophan (Trp), and valine (Val)) [23][24][25][26][27][28] and EFAs (myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), and omega-9 oleic acid (C18:1)) [29][30][31][32][33][34][35].…”

Evaluation of the Nutritional Value of Prunus dulcis Blossoms and the Antioxidant Compounds of Their Extracted Oil Using Green Extraction Method

“…Determination of crude protein content was carried out with the Bradford assay, according to a previous study [35]. Details are given in Supplementary Materials.…”

“…The carbohydrate levels in the samples were assessed utilizing the phenol/sulfuric acid technique [35]. Details are given in Supplementary Materials.…”

Improving Tenebrio molitor Growth and Nutritional Value through Vegetable Waste Supplementation

“…Therefore, while typically T. molitor is fed with grains, supplementing or partially substituting their diet with vegetable wastes presents a cost-saving alternative that reduces the use of resources intended for human consumption and minimizes environmental impact. Furthermore, vegetable waste, being rich in water content and bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, terpenoids, vitamins, and sulfur compounds, not only may promote insect growth but may also contribute health-enhancing properties to insect-based products [16].…”