Changes in the organic compounds following sun drying of edible black ant (<i>Polyrhachis vicina</i>Roger)

Abstract

Edible black ant ( Polyrhachis vicina Roger) is a traditional edible insect species in China. It has long been used as an important ingredient of health foods. The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes of organic compounds following sun drying of edible black ant. The results showed that fresh and sun dried edible black ant samples have 28 organic components. Nine of them found in the present study have not been reported previously such as 8-heptadecene and (E,E)-6,10,14-trimethyl-5,9,13-pentadecatrien-2-one. Five constituents disappeared and 4 components formed while the ant was sun dried. The major organic compounds of fresh and sun dried edible black ant belong to fatty acids and hydrocarbons. Some compounds such as fatty acids, aldehyde and alkanes appeared during the procedure indicating that sun drying speeds up lipid oxidation and hydrolytic rancidity.