insect protein, pet food additives, nutritional value of yellow mealworm protein, defatted mealworm protein powder

Mealworms, a nutritious insect resource, are gradually becoming the new favorite of the pet industry. Its protein content is as high as 49%~55%, and the types and proportions of amino acids are highly consistent with the standards recommended by the World Health Organization. It is also rich in unsaturated fatty acids and chitosan. The low cost of raising mealworms and rapid reproduction have led to the emergence of large-scale modern breeding companies in China. Although the development and research of insect food in China is not as good as that in foreign countries, with the rise of the craze for animal protein substitutes, the potential of mealworms as high-protein substitutes is gradually being explored.

During the processing, mealworms are treated by freezing, blanching and other methods after being cleaned, and usually need to be further dried for long-term storage. The choice of drying method has a significant impact on the nutritional value and color of mealworms. Studies have shown that the protein content and amino acid content of mealworms under different drying methods are different. For example, the protein content of hot air dried and freeze dried mealworms is similar, and higher than that of sun dried mealworms, while sun dried mealworms have a greater advantage in amino acid content. Dried mealworm powder is rich in protein and fat, and becomes a high-quality raw material for oil extraction and protein donor.

After defatting, whole mealworm powder can obtain mealworm oil rich in essential fatty acids and defatted protein powder with high purity. In this mealworm oil, oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid are the most abundant. After further purification, the defatted protein powder can obtain higher purity mealworm protein, which is used to study its functional properties or design functional delivery systems. It is worth noting that the carbohydrate content in mealworm powder is relatively low, about 10%, and most of it is insoluble carbohydrates, rich in chitosan and its derivatives.

Next, we explored the value of mealworms in different application scenarios. First, in terms of simulated meat products, mealworm powder, defatted mealworm powder or mealworm protein can be used as substitutes for animal meat, effectively avoiding consumers' consumption concerns caused by insect morphology. The study compared the nutritional value of various meat products and insects and found that insects are comparable to meat products in terms of protein content, essential amino acid content and essential fatty acid content, while also providing additional nutrients such as vitamin C and dietary fiber. For example, Cho and Ryul added mealworm powder to plant protein simulated meat products and prepared simulated meat with high protein solubility and digestibility through twin-screw extrusion technology.

In addition, the application of mealworm oil has also attracted much attention. Compared with freeze-dried mealworm raw materials, dried and microwave-dried mealworm raw materials have better aroma, thanks to the Maillard reaction caused by the increase in temperature during the drying process. This makes mealworm oil have unique application value in food processing and cooking.

Mealworm, an insect rich in oil, not only provides humans with rich protein, but is also an important raw material for extracting mealworm oil. Usually, people use organic solvent extraction to obtain this valuable oil. In its fatty acid composition, there is a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid and linoleic acid, which dominate mealworm oil.

It is worth mentioning that the research of Son et al. revealed that the content of vitamin E in mealworm oil is 144.3 mg/1000g oil, which is higher than many animal-derived oils, although slightly lower than some vegetable oils. The research of Jeon et al. explored the effect of frying at 200°C for 5 to 15 minutes on mealworm oil and found that frying not only deepened the color of the oil, but also increased the content of oleic acid and tocopherol. More excitingly, the fried mealworm oil showed better oil oxidation stability, which was due to the antioxidant properties conferred by the Maillard reaction products produced during the frying process.

Talking about the application of mealworm protein, the defatted mealworm powder can be further purified to obtain mealworm protein with higher purity. Studies have been conducted on the solubility, emulsification, foaming and functional properties of this protein and its hydrolyzate. For example, Yoo et al. prepared the hydrolyzate of mealworm protein by flavor enzyme, alkaline protease or a mixture of the two, and found that the solubility of the protein after enzymatic hydrolysis was significantly improved, and the emulsification activity and stability were also improved. In addition, alkaline protease hydrolysis can significantly inhibit the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme, while enzyme mixture treatment shows effective inhibition of α-glucosidase activity. These research results show that yellow mealworm protein isolate has broad application prospects in food systems.

In addition, yellow mealworm protein is also used to prepare emulsions and design bioactive substance delivery systems such as curcumin. Grossmann et al. hydrolyzed yellow mealworm protein and reacted it with xylose for Maillard reaction, and found that the product after the reaction enhanced the bitterness and umami intensity, which provides a new source of raw materials for the development of new flavor substances.

In addition, yellow mealworm also shows its unique value in the field of pet food. Its rich nutrients such as protein and fat can effectively protect the health of pets' skin and fur. At the same time, its unique nutritional value can also meet the needs of pets for different nutrients, thereby promoting the healthy growth of pets.

The skin structure of dogs and cats is very different from that of humans. Their skin is relatively thin, so they are more susceptible to invasion and damage from external factors. Invasion by microorganisms such as fungi and mites often leads to skin problems such as eczema, itching, dryness, dandruff and pyoderma.

Mealworms are rich in essential fatty acids, which account for 80.7% of the total fatty acids and are essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized by pets. By taking these essential fatty acids, the pet's skin can maintain its normal function, form an effective barrier to resist the invasion of diseases and parasites, thereby reducing the occurrence of secondary problems.

In addition, mealworms also have the potential to improve pet immunity. The antioxidant vitamin E rich in its insect oil can effectively improve the resistance of pets and reduce the chance of pets getting sick due to reduced resistance during seasonal changes and weather changes. At the same time, the content of flavonoids in mealworms is also considerable. This type of natural antioxidant is not only simple to operate, safe and low-cost, but also very suitable for making pet functional food.

In addition, mealworms can also help prevent and relieve health problems such as hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Since most pets have problems with overnutrition and insufficient activity, obesity, hyperlipidemia and hypertension are not uncommon in young pets. The antimicrobial peptides in mealworms can inhibit the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme, thereby helping to control blood pressure; the unsaturated fatty acids in its oils also have an important regulatory effect on cholesterol metabolism and the synthesis of thromboxanes, providing strong support for regulating blood lipids and blood pressure.

Finally, mealworms can also help pets delay aging. Its rich nutrients and antioxidant properties enable pets that eat mealworms for a long time to maintain a healthier body shape and a more active life.

The life cycle of pets is shorter than that of humans. As they age, the functions of their various organs gradually decline, and they face many health challenges. In order to extend the life of pets as much as possible and improve their quality of life, we can use functional foods to help them fight aging. Mealworms, an insect rich in various inorganic salts, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper, are known as "bioconverters" of beneficial elements. It can skillfully transform inorganic substances into biological substances necessary for the body, providing strong support for the maintenance of the organ functions and overall health of pets, thereby achieving the purpose of delaying aging.