Table 5.
Fatty acid composition of caterpillars consumed in sub-Saharan Africa (% on dry matter basis).
| Fatty Acids | Cirina butyrospermi | Cirina forda | Imbrasia epimethea | Imbrasia belina | Imbrasia oyemensis | Imbrasia obscura | Imbrasia truncata |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauric acid (C12:0) SFA | 0.08 | <0.1 | 0.2 | <0.1 | 1.66 | / | trace |
| Myristic acid (C14:0) SFA | 0.3–0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.3–1.2 | 0.5–1.9 | 0.2 | 0.2–0.3 |
| Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) SFA | / | <0.1–1.9 | trace | 0.1 | / | 0.2 | trace |
| Palmitic acid (C16:0) SFA | 17.9–27.5 | 7.4–13 | 23.2 | 3.2–31.9 | 10.1–46 | 17.1 | 22.3–20.6 |
| Palmitoleic acid (C16:1) MUFA | 0.3 | 0.2–4.3 | 0.6 | 0.1–1.8 | / | 0.3 | 0.2–0.5 |
| Margaric acid (C17:0) SFA | 0.1–1.3 | 1.1–5.8 | / | 0.3–0.4 | / | 1.1 | 1.17 |
| Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1) SFA | / | / | / | 0.12 | / | / | / |
| Steric acid (C18:0) SFA | 35.4–8.9 | 6.9–16 | 22.1 | 1.7–13.5 | 7.2 | 18–38.5 | 16.4–22.3 |
| Oleic acids (C18:1) MUFA | 0.4–26.4 | 3.7–17.9 | 8.4 | 1.6–34.2 | 34.6 | 8–40.3 | 7.4–9.5 |
| Linoleic acid (C18:2 n6) MUFA | 4.5–30.2 | 8.1–29.2 | 7 | 1.6–10.9 | 11.2 | 6.6–9.2 | 7.1–7.6 |
| α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n3) MUFA | 0.8–35.8 | 4.9–45.3 | 35.1 | 19.6–29.4 | / | 0.8–41.1 | 28.6–42.6 |
| Arachidic acid (C20:0) MUFA | 0.4 | 2.4 | <0.1 | 0.3–0.4 | / | 0.3 | 0.3–8.7 |
| Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2) PUFA | / | 0.2 | / | / | / | / | 0.5 |
| Arachidonic acid (C20:4) PUFA | / | <0.1 | <0.1 | 0.5 | / | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5) PUFA | / | <0.1 | / | / | / | / | |
| Docosenoic acid (C22:1) MUFA | / | / | / | / | / | / | 0.1 |