Optimization of protein extraction from yellow mealworm larvae

Abstract

Entomophagy is the re-emerging terminology among the ever-growing population. Yellow mealworm (T. molitor) larvae consists of 52.53% protein (by dry basis), extracted by three extraction methods i.e. aqueous extraction, alkaline extraction and pH-shift extraction with varying extraction parameters were used for optimizing protein extraction from defatted larvae flour. The maximum protein content and extraction yield obtained was 87.56% and 38.90% in the pH-shift method. The minimum protein content and extraction yield was observed in 35.92% and 5.9% in the aqueous method. The FT-IR spectra shows the presence of amide-I, II & III bands in the pH-shift and alkaline protein extracts and only amide- I & III present in the aqueous protein extract. This proves pH-shift extraction is more efficient than alkaline and aqueous protein extraction of defatted larvae flour in terms of high extraction yield and structural conformation. The high iodine value of larvae oil was 87.79, which indicates the large quantity of unsaturated fatty acids, which are essential for human health.