PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Termites are widely distributed globally and serve as a valuable food source in many countries. However, information on the myriad nutritional benefits of processed termite products in African markets remain largely unexploited. This study evaluated the phytochemicals, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, vitamins and proximate composition of the edible winged termites (Macrotermes spp.) from three major Counties of Kenya. A total of 9 flavonoids, 5 alkaloids, and 1 cytokinin were identified. The oil content varied from 33 to 46%, exhibiting significant levels of beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, such as methyl (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadecatrienoate and methyl (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-eicosapentaenoate, ranging from 82.7-95.1 to 6.3-8.1 µg/g, respectively, across the different regions. Four essential and cereal-limiting amino acids lysine (1.0-1.3 mg/g), methionine (0.08-0.1 mg/g), leucine (0.6-0.9 mg/g) and threonine (0.1-0.2 mg/g), were predominant. Moreover, termites had a rich profile of essential minerals, including iron (70.7-111.8 mg/100 g), zinc (4.4-16.2 mg/100 g) and calcium (33.1-53.0 mg/100 g), as well as vitamins A (2.4-6.4 mg/kg), C (0.6-1.9 mg/kg) and B12 (10.7-17.1 mg/kg). The crude protein (32.2-44.8%) and fat (41.2-49.1%) contents of termites from the various Counties was notably high. These findings demonstrated the promising nutrients potential of winged termites and advocate for their sustainable utilization in contemporary efficacious functional food applications to combat malnutrition.
摘要：
白蚁在全球范围内广泛分布，在许多国家都是有价值的食物来源。然而,关于在非洲市场加工白蚁产品的无数营养益处的信息仍未得到充分利用。这项研究评估了植物化学物质，脂肪酸，氨基酸,矿物,可食用有翼白蚁的维生素和直接成分（Macrotermesspp。)来自肯尼亚的三个主要县。共9种黄酮类化合物，5生物碱，和1细胞分裂素被鉴定。含油量从33%到46%不等,表现出显著水平的有益omega3脂肪酸，如甲基(9Z，12Z,15Z)-十八碳三烯酸和甲基(5Z，8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-二十碳五烯酸酯，范围从82.7-95.1到6.3-8.1µg/g，分别,在不同地区。四种必需和谷物限制性氨基酸赖氨酸（1.0-1.3mg/g），蛋氨酸（0.08-0.1毫克/克），亮氨酸（0.6-0.9毫克/克）和苏氨酸（0.1-0.2毫克/克），占主导地位。此外，白蚁有丰富的必需矿物质，包括铁（70.7-111.8毫克/100克），锌（4.4-16.2毫克/100克）和钙（33.1-53.0毫克/100克），以及维生素A（2.4-6.4mg/kg），C（0.6-1.9mg/kg）和B12（10.7-17.1mg/kg）。各县白蚁的粗蛋白（32.2-44.8％）和脂肪（41.2-49.1％）含量明显较高。这些发现证明了有翼白蚁的有希望的营养潜力，并主张在当代有效的功能性食品应用中可持续利用它们来对抗营养不良。
