Nutrient and oil profile of Escamol, an edible larva of ants (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr)

The objective of this study was to evaluate proximal chemical analysis, oil and fatty acids in escamol dehydrated and butter-fried that are commercially available in Mexico. In order to measure the escamol and oil quality, a chemical analysis were performed. The identification fatty acids was by refractive index. The proximal chemical analysis results in escamol fresh and deshydrated indicated that moisture (56.00-1.89 %), protein (15.30-34.78 %), lipids (20.05-45.57 %), ash (1.91-4.35 %) and carbohydrates (6.73-13.41 %), its porcentage are within the parameter reported for the order Hymenoptera (p < 0.05) comparated with escamol butter-fried (p > 0.05). The moisture (1.53 %) in escamol oil, accelerates the degradation of the triacylglycerides, generating free fatty acids (17.48 % oleic acid), while frying increase lipids with double bonds (133. 79 cg I2 g-1) and causes oxidation products (3.60 meq O2 kg-1 of oil). The escamol oil extracted from the dehydrated and butter-fried sample, presented a refractive index similar beeswax (1.442) and pure edible coconut oil (1.447) respectively. So they could present mainly fatty acids as lauric [C12:0 (41.00-56.00 %)], monounsaturated: palmitoleic [C16:1 (12.00 %)] and oleic [C18:1 (3.50-11.00 %)] and polyunsaturates: linoleic [C18:2 (1.00-2.5 %)]. The frying has a minimal effect on the chemical composition of the oil and fatty acids in escamol.