Tenebrio molitor L., entomophagy and processing into ready to use therapeutic ingredients: a review

Abstract

The consumption of insects is known as entomophagy. Edible insects have been consumed for a long time in the traditional diets of many non-Western countries, but in recent times, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognize them as having a high potential to treat malnutrition and food shortages without requiring large amounts of land or infrastructure. The larvae of Tenebrio Molitor L., the mealworm, have been processed to be as high in protein content as fish and meat. They are also fairly high in fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated omega-3 and 6, comparable with the content of fish and higher than in beef and pork. They possess a variety of vitamins and minerals such as: magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc as well as, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and biotin. These qualities would make them a possible food ingredient in the US (based on current novelty trends) if US consumers would acknowledge and learn to accept insect-based products. In areas where insects are a traditional part of the diet, processed mealworms can be used as a successful ingredient in emergency relief meals.