Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0351-3587

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Animal and Nutritional Sciences

Committee Chair

Jacek Jaczynski

Committee Co-Chair

Yong-Lak Park

Committee Member

Yong-Lak Park

Committee Member

Ida Holaskova

Committee Member

Cangliang Shen

Abstract

Tenebrio molitor, or the yellow mealworm is an edible insect widely recognized and consumed for its rich nutritional value. Mealworms are known for their flexible nature of adapting to various environmental conditions and being able to thrive under harsh conditions and low-value wastes. In this paper, our main goal was to investigate the mealworm’s ability to grow and develop while being reared on apple pomace, the biowaste from apple production, and the effect it would have on its nutritional value specifically its lipid profile. Then these reared insects were used for oil extraction and analyzing their fatty acid profiles. Results show that mealworms were able to thrive on apple pomace and had enhanced lipid profiles supporting our initial hypotheses. Furthermore, the mealworm’s anatomy was investigated, and a method of mechanical pressing was developed in order to obtain crude extracts without solvent or enzymatic pre-treatments and with minor physical pre-treatments. Mealworm crude extracts, from pupae and larvae under temperatures of 2 ℃ and 45 ℃, were shown to be rich in protein and fats. Suggesting that this mechanical, low-cost, timesaving, extraction method could be an efficient way of nutrient extraction in mass production of mealworms and the utilization of its components in food processing.

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