Identification and Quantitative Analysis of -sitosterol Oxides in Oil of 2 Macrotermitinae Varieties from Congo

Termites are one of the edible insects in the Congo, but very little scientific data are available on this food. Sitosterol oxides are present in vegetable food. However, as cholesterol oxides, biological utility and food safety of some sitosterol oxides are controversial and not clarified. In a chemical study, sitosterol oxides were identified and quantitatively determined in oil of Bellicositermes natalensis Haviland from two regions of the Congo by gas chromatography (GC) and Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. The following -sitosterol oxides have been found in oil of termites in various amount: 5,6-epoxysitosterol, 7a-hydroxysitosterol, 7-hydroxysitosterol, 5a,6-dihydroxysitosterol, 5,6a-epoxysitosterol and 7-ketositosterol. Total sitosterol oxides amount found was 29.1 g g-1 for termites dried by sun exposure and 39.1 g g-1 for smoked termites. These results showed also that oil of termites contained more sitosterol oxides than edible vegetable oils previously reported. On the other hand this study demonstrated for the first time that phytosterol oxides may be present in some animal oils.