Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) as Calcium, Phosphor, and Chitosan Source

Abstract

The study were conducted in two experiments: the first experiment aimed to analyzed feed (cassava meal and pollard) and age (2 and 3 months larvae, beetle) effect on Ca and P content in larvae and beetle of Tenebrio molitor using 2x3 Factorial experiment with 3 replications. The second experiment aimed to analyzed T. molitor larvae age (2,3,4 months) effect on chitosan rendement and quality using Completely Randomized Design with 3 replications. The first experiment showed that age interacted with feed to affect moisture and ash contents. The highest water content was in 3 months larvae fed with cassava meal (62.28%), while the highest ash content was in 3 months larvae fed with pollard (2.01%). Age significantly affected Ca content which were highest in beetle (0.47%). The second experiment showed that age had significant effect on skin and chitin rendement, but not on chitosan rendement, moisture, ash, nitrogen, ash content, and deacetylation degree of chitosan. Three and four months larvae had the highest chitin rendement, but deacetylation degree of chitosan of 2 months larvae was far from the minimum standard value. Two months mealworm larvae is potential to be developed as chitin source and the beetle as Ca, and P source.