摘要
The earth crust is believed to be made of a mass of minerals and is matched by their importance in human life. The human body, depend like other leaving organisms, on several minerals as essential constituents of its existence. Metal ions in foodstuff are in different chemical forms, as inorganic salts or organic molecules or complexes with other compounds such as proteins, amino acids, enzymes and some vitamins, among others, that play an important role in human health. Entomophagy, insect consumption by several ethnic groups in Mexico as cultural tradition since prehispanic era represent an option for population to obtain the minerals needed by the body to keep a good health. Escamoles ant eggs of the Liometopumapiculatum M genus, much appreciated either at rural communities as well as in urban cities, contain minerals with a favorable effect in human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the mineral composition of Escamoles and the benefits which can provide to the human body. Sampling was at an arid region of the Hidalgo state on April 2012. Minerals in dry basis, determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, with the exception of phosphorus content, obtained from a triple acid digested extract and determined colorimetrically. Data of mineral analysis in dry basis of Escamoles were： total minerals 5.92%; Na 0.079%; K 0.075%; Ca 0.097%; P 0.701%; Fe 0.021%; Zn 0.035% Cu 0.009%; Mg 0.998%; Mn 0.002%. Minerals quantify are not equal to total ash contained because not all of them were assess determined. Elements concentration depends not only on the total mineral composition of foodstuff the inorganic or organic form or interaction among metal ions, but also on their availability and avail of them. Minerals in Escamoles ant eggs have a considerable influence in the condition of human health.
