Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm) protein as a sustainable dietary strategy to improve health span in D-galactose-induced aged mice.

Anusha, S. and Negi, P. S. (2024) Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm) protein as a sustainable dietary strategy to improve health span in D-galactose-induced aged mice. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 281. p. 136610. ISSN 0141-8130

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Abstract

Aging is an irreversible and continuous biological process involving intricate and interconnected mechanisms. The present work is focused on unravelling the anti-aging mechanisms of mealworm protein and proteinenriched fruit bar and vegetable soup in D-galactose-induced aged mice. Mealworm protein and enriched products significantly enhanced body weight, organ indices, and gut health. Behavioral assessments reflected enhanced neuroprotective effects. Mealworm protein and its enriched products demonstrated protective effects through anti-inflammatory activity with the highest reduction of TNFα (17.1 %), IL-6 (55.5 %), and IL-1β (75.1 %) levels and upregulated the anti-inflammatory marker (IL-4). Gene expression studies confirmed the induction of anti-aging effects by promoting metabolism, reducing cellular senescence, and enhancing anti-oxidant enzyme activity. The treatments extended telomere lengths by 3–4 times, further affirming the potential anti-aging efficacy of mealworm protein and its enriched products. Mealworm protein demonstrated positive effects on weight gain, anti-inflammatory responses, and telomere length; while fruit and vegetable products enhanced antioxidant activity, and positively influenced gut health. Further, a synergistic effect was observed by combining them, which resulted in improved overall anti-aging effect. The present work provides valuable insights into the multifaceted anti-aging mechanisms associated with mealworm protein and enriched products, highlighting their potential as functional foods with significant health-promoting effects.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	D-galactose-induced aged mice, Gut microbiota Mealworm protein, Protein-enriched fruit bar Protein-enriched vegetable soup Inflammation
Subjects:	600 Technology > 03 Agriculture > 05 Insect/Pest Control 600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 16 Nutritive value > 03 Proteins
Divisions:	Fruit and Vegetable Technology
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	06 Nov 2024 06:55
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2024 06:55
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/18394

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