Insect-based products commercialized online: a snapshot of lipid oxidation and mineral content

This research aims to monitor the conservation status of the lipid and mineral contents of four shelf-stable insect-based products (yellow mealworm, house cricket, mole cricket, and silkworm) marketed online. A total of 32 single-species packs were purchased from various online commercial suppliers. Moisture, lipids, fatty acids, titratable acidity, mineral elements, and primary and secondary lipid oxidation products were determined. Statistical multivariate approaches were applied to investigate the contribution of each chemical variable to the characterization of edible insects. Titratable acidity (up to 37.3 g oleic acid per 100 g of crickets), as well as primary and secondary lipid oxidation products, showed great variability within and between species. The study revealed a significant occurrence of rancidity (45.5% of the samples exceeded the peroxide limit of 10 mEqO2/kg; 100% of the samples exceeded the indication of 1 mg/kg malondialdehyde), whereas the heavy metal content indicated a relatively safe condition, suggesting the absence of potential risks to human health. Both the chemical and the elemental properties could be regarded as potential characteristics suitable for authenticating this food matrix. This study contributes to the description of several chemical features in commercialized processed insect-based products, aiming to highlight possible safety concerns and identify those unfit for human consumption.