Bioconversion of Deoxynivalenol by Mealworm (<i>Tenebrio molitor</i>) Larvae: Implications for Feed Safety and Nutritional Value.

ABSTRACT: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common trichothecene mycotoxins found in cereals, posing a significant hazard to food and feed safety. Insects, especially the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), offer promising alternative protein sources; however, their capacity to metabolise mycotoxins and the nutritional implications are still not fully understood. In this study, T. molitor larvae were reared for two weeks on diets containing DON at 663 or 913 µg/kg, and their biomass was analysed using Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-QTOF) for DON metabolites and free amino acids, as well as Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) for fatty acid profiles. Larvae metabolised DON via multiple pathways, including sulfonation, glucur

SUBMITTER: Wrobel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12567689 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature