Examining two edible insect oils compared with traditional edible oils: main bioactive compounds and safety against oxidation

Purpose The aim of this research is to investigate the fatty acid, tocopherol and phytosterol composition and safety against oxidation of two insect oils as non-traditional oils in comparison with four edible, traditionally consumed oils. Design/methodology/approach The current study performed approximate analysis, GC for fatty acids and sterols analysis, HPLC for tocopherols and Rancimat apparatus for measuring the oxidative stability. All analysis was carried out in triplicate; the average of the readings was taken, and the standard deviation was extracted using the student t-test, and a statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on all values. The coefficient of variation was used for statistical analysis. Findings Oils from Agonoscelis pubescens (APO) and Aspongopus viduatus (AVO) contained 60% and 45% crude fat, respectively, surpassing the 28.5–45.6% found in sunflower and sesame oils. GC analysis showed a similar fatty acid profile (C16, C18, C18:1 and C18:2) in all samples. HPLC revealed that AVO was low in tocopherols, whereas APO matched or exceeded traditional oils (except sesame and cottonseed) in total sterols. AVO displayed exceptional oxidative stability (Rancimat 38 h) versus = 5.2 h for conventional oils and was richest in total phenolics, followed by sesame and APO. Polyphenol extracts from both novel oils more effectively inhibited β-carotene bleaching and linoleic acid oxidation than extracts from traditional oils. Originality/value These findings have significantly contributed to existing food safety knowledge, as the two oils hold significant promise as a sustainable, nutrient-dense ingredient that can contribute to food security and support various industries.