# Exploring the Potential of Yellow Mealworm (_Tenebrio molitor_) Oil as a Nutraceuticalal Ingredient
## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Oxidative and Hydrolytic Stability of Tenebrio molitor Oil  
The TM oil samples derived from two batches of production did not differ significantly (\(p<0.05\)) in the oxidative and hydrolytic quality, except for the peroxide value--PV, which was slightly higher in a sample of Batch no. 1 (Table 1). PV is the most common chemical indicator for measuring the oxidative deterioration of oils. Although hydroperoxides decompose to a mixture of volatile and non-volatile products and react further to endoperoxides and other products, PV measurement is a useful method of monitoring the oxidative deterioration of oils. Samples derived from both production exceeded the limit of \(<\)10 mEq/kg oil considered appropriate for fresh oils but still remained far from the 20 mEq/kg from which rancidity begins to be perceived in many oils [36]. Compared with PV values, the contents of conjugated diene hydroperoxides related to oxidative changes of linoleic acid C18:29\(c\)12\(c\) were relatively low (Table 1). Also, low amounts of conjugated trienes were assayed probably because of low amounts of linoleic acid--C18:39\(c\)12\(c\)15\(c\) were assayed in the FAs profile of TM oil samples (Table 2). However, our results show that raw oil values are higher than expected. However, this result could be easily related to the high polyunsaturated profile of the TM oil. The induction time observed, which refers to the period of time before the chain reaction of oil oxidation begins to accelerate, is considerably short, less than 3 h. These oxidation stability results are lower than those previously shown in other _Tenebrio molitor_ oil studies, which varied between 10:56 and 64:57 h [37; 38] and closer to those obtained in seed oils, also very polyunsaturated [39]. The low oxidative stability indicates the need to carefully treat the product before consumption to maintain its nutritional and organoleptic properties.  
The formation of FFA is an effect of the hydrolytic decomposition of triacylglycerols in oils and fats. FFA levels depend on time, temperature, and moisture content because the oils and fats are exposed to various environments such as storage, processing, heating, or frying. In the case of insect oil, FFA content results from the enzymatic action causing initial hydrolysis or lipolysis by the lipases present in the living tissue of the mealworm. The dynamic equilibrium between the proportion of triacylglycerols and FFA might be affected  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline  & **Batch 1** & **Batch 2** & **Mean \(\pm\) SD** \\ \hline Free fatty acid—FFA (\%) & 1.13 \(\pm\) 0.00 a & 1.13 \(\pm\) 0.00 a & 1.13 \(\pm\) 0.00 \\ Peroxide value—PV (mEq O active/kg oil) & 13.37 \(\pm\) 0.04 a & 11.65 \(\pm\) 0.02 b & 12.51 \(\pm\) 0.90 \\ Conjugated diene—CD (\(\mu\)mol/g) & 2.67 \(\pm\) 0.02 a & 2.66 \(\pm\) 0.04 a & 2.65 \(\pm\) 0.05 \\ Conjugated triene—CT (\(\mu\)mol/g) & 0.70 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 0.73 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 0.71 \(\pm\) 0.01 \\ Induction time (h) & 2.75 \(\pm\) 0.14 a & 2.75 \(\pm\) 0.16 a & 2.75 \(\pm\) 0.16 \\ \hline \end{tabular} Different letters in each row indicate significant differences (\(p<0.05\)) between batches.  
\end{table}
Table 1: Indicators of oxidative and hydrolytic stability of _Tenebrio molitor_ oil samples (n = 6).  
by the physiological state of the mealworm [40]. Results obtained in this study were lower than those previously reported by [PERSON] et al. (2020) (2.6 mg KOH/g) in TM oil [38].