Nutritive composition analysis of honeybee Apis mellifera L. brood as edible insect: Chemical composition and amino acids content

Sports Nutrition and Ortho Congress

December 08-09, 2016 | Philadelphia, USA

Abd Al-Fattah M A, Sanaa A Mahfouz and Enas O Nour El-Deen

Cairo University, Egypt
The Agricultural Research Center, Egypt

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Sports Med Doping Stud

Abstract :

The aim of research is to analyze and recognize the chemical composition of worker and drone honeybee brood, (larvae and pupae), and their content of amino acids. Larvae and pupae of workers and drones of honeybee were collected from bee hives and dried at 90�ºC for 180 min., then stored in vacuum bags in deep freezer until analysis. The chemical composition appeared that, in general, the pupae contain higher protein (43.1%), fat (18.1%), fiber (3.2%) and ash (4.5%) than the larvae (40.8%, 14.7%, 2.3% and 4%, respectively). In contrast, the dried larvae (workers and drones) had more carbohydrate (20.5%) and moisture (6.5%) than the pupae (15.2% and 5.4%, respectively). The dried pupae contained significant amount of amino acids (91.6%) than larvae (82.1%). All essential amino acids were detected in a considerable quantity in pupae (41.3%) and larvae (36.6%). The drone brood (average larvae and pupae) increased in their content of protein (44.3%) and fat (21.8%) than the workers brood (41.9% and 16.4%, respectively), while they reversed for carbohydrate and ash. They had similar amounts of crude fiber. The protein efficiency ratio was ranged from 3.397, (larvae) to 3.765 (pupae). The biological values of larvae and pupae were 85.66 and 89.55, respectively. The amino acid score of the mixed brood was higher than the recommended values by FAO/WHO for children and adults and the methionine being the limited amino acid. Generally, this study showed that the nutritional value and vitality of the honeybee brood (dried larvae and pupae) as a new source of animal protein.

Biography :

Email: a_alfattah@yahoo.com