# Exploring the Potential of Yellow Mealworm (_Tenebrio molitor_) Oil as a Nutraceuticalal Ingredient
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Bioactive Components and Antioxidative Potential of Tenebrio molitor Larvae Oil
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline  & **Batch 1** & **Batch 2** & **Mean \(\pm\) SD** \\ \hline Total carotenoids (mg/kg oil) & 14.19 \(\pm\) 0.76 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 12.29 \(\pm\) 0.16 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 13.65 \(\pm\) 1.60 \\ Total phenolic compounds—TPC (mg & 76.37 \(\pm\) 4.54 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 71.82 \(\pm\) 3.71 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 74.09 \(\pm\) 4.47 \\ GAE/kg oil) & 1.36 \(\pm\) 0.29 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.53 \(\pm\) 0.04 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 0.94 \(\pm\) 0.51 \\ Total tocopherol (mg/kg oil) & 120.8 \(\pm\) 3.10 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 90.8 \(\pm\) 2.80 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 105.8 \(\pm\) 4.60 \\ \(\alpha\)-tocopherol & 66.9 \(\pm\) 3.90 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 44.6 \(\pm\) 2.00 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 55.8 \(\pm\) 3.25 \\ \(\gamma\)-tocopherol & 50.3 \(\pm\) 4.5 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 43.3 \(\pm\) 3.0 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 46.8 \(\pm\) 3.95 \\ \(\delta\)-tocopherol & 3.6 \(\pm\) 0.4 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 2.8 \(\pm\) 0.2 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 3.2 \(\pm\) 0.5 \\ _Antioxidant capacity_ & & & \\ \hline DPPH & & & \\  & mM TE/kg oil & 2.40 \(\pm\) 0.32 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 1.66 \(\pm\) 0.22 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 2.03 \(\pm\) 0.47 \\  & \% Inhibition & 48.34 \(\pm\) 6.05 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 34.51 \(\pm\) 4.14 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 41.42 \(\pm\) 8.88 \\ ABTS & & & \\  & mM TE/kg oil & 1.71 \(\pm\) 0.18 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 1.62 \(\pm\) 0.07 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 1.66 \(\pm\) 0.13 \\  & \% Inhibition & 36.56 \(\pm\) 4.11 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 34.68 \(\pm\) 1.74 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 35.62 \(\pm\) 3.00 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Different letters in each row indicate significant differences (\(p<\) 0.05) between batches. GAE: gallic acid equivalent; TE: Trolox equivalent.  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Bioactive compounds and antioxidative potential of _Tenebro molitor_ oil (n = 6). in TM oil compared with other cold-press plant oils extracted in similar conditions, such as camellia seed oil, pistachio nuts oil, or pumpkin seed oil, among others [58; 59; 60]. It should also be noted that according to previous literature, whole-dried TM larvae show higher total phenol contents, ranging between 350 and 920 mg/100 g [61; 62; 63]. In comparison, other authors indicated that the contents of defatted TM flour should be around 200 mg/100 g [11]. Phenols include one or more hydroxyl groups, the polar part, attached directly to an aromatic ring, the nonpolar part. They are often found in plants as esters or glycosides, rather than as free molecules. This stereochemistry distinguishes phenols according to their polarity variance [64] and can determine their affinity for the different fractions of _Tenebrio molitor_-derived products, defatted flour, or oil. Chromatographic (HPLC-HRMS) analysis enabled the detection of apigenin in TM oil samples (Table 3). Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyflavone), a hydrophobic flavonoid that presents low solubility in both polar and nonpolar solvents, also occurs naturally in a wide variety of edible plants and fruits, like onion, seasoning herbs, pistachio nuts, beers, or olive oil, among others [65; 66]. Literature has related apigenin to many health-beneficial properties, i.e., it is a potent antioxidant, antiviral, or therapeutic aid in cancer treatments [67; 68; 69]. Apart from detecting apigenin, HPLC-HRMS chromatographic analysis revealed the trace presence of other dietary bioactive compounds like fraxin, geranylgeraniol, or \(\beta\)-cyano pyranose. Fraxin, a hydroxycournarin derivative, exhibits health benefits like potent hepatoprotective effects in vitro and in vivo [70] and action as an anti-inflammatory agent [71; 72]. Geranylgeraniol, an isoprenoid also found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and edible plant oils with health benefits, has improved glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, osteogenesis, and bone remodeling in animals [73; 74]. However, these eight phenolic compounds were detected under the limit of quantification (LOQ)--0.10 mg/L (Table S1). Using an appropriate mixture of solvents will probably allow us to obtain higher amounts of these valuable phenolic compounds in TM oil.