Comparative study of composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of two adult edible insects from Tenebrionidae family

In the case of Tenebrionidae family insects, studies focus on larval stage, leaving a lack of information regarding other stages. Therefore, this study was performed in order to understand the differences between the nutritional composition and the bioactivity of two species of this family in their adult stage, fed with a specific diet. Adult beetles of both species were defatted, lyophilized and protein extracted with buffer. Proximal and phytochemical analysis of the extracts of each insect were performed, along with protein extract and hydrolysis analysis by Tris-Tricine and Tris Glycine SDS PAGE. This analysis showed that T. molitor contained more protein and fat than U. dermestoides but contained less crude fiber. The protein extraction was made with PBS, where 130 and 45 kDa bands showed predominant for U. dermestoides, and less protein was present for T. molitor. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the enzymatic protein hydrolysates and protein crude extracts were determined. Presence of protein associated with the antioxidant activity were found in both insects. Nonetheless U. dermestoides had a higher antioxidant activity with the protein extract in contrast with the higher antioxidant activity shown by U. dermestoides once the extracts were digested. After proteolysis, protein extracts showed an increasing antioxidant activity, plus, the ability to inhibit microbial growth of Proteus, Shigella and Bacillus. Insect protein hydrolysates with protease open the possibility for the use of these beetles as new sources of encrypted peptides for microbiological control once characterized.