Fig. 04–07 / Visual Dossier

Structure & Macronutrients

One pupa, two worlds. A rigid segmented shell encases a soft, fluid core — and behind that texture sits one of the densest macronutrient profiles in the animal kingdom.

The anatomy of textural duality — silkworm pupa cross-section diagram
Fig. 04 — Anatomy
Silkworm pupa textural duality cross-section specimen

The anatomy of textural duality.

Exterior: a rigid, segmented, spindle-shaped chitin exoskeleton (2–3 cm). Roasting or flash-frying delivers a satisfying structural crunch, and the color evolves from milky white to deep chestnut — the darker the hue, the richer the flavor.

Interior: driven by tissue liquefaction and cellular reorganization, the core is a soft, fluid matrix of concentrated fat and protein — akin to golden cheese meeting roasted nuts, melting on the tongue with profound umami.

Mouthfeel: a crisp, structured shell dissolving instantly into a rich, savory, melt-in-your-mouth core.

Fig. 05 — Dry Weight
Silkworm pupa dry-weight macronutrient analysis

An ultra-dense structural profile.

Per 100g dry weight, chitin is entirely concentrated in the structural exoskeleton, and the macronutrient ratio is extremely low in carbohydrates — heavily biased toward high-performance energy supply and tissue building.

3–5gcarbohydrates
50–60gquality protein
25–30gquality fat
per 100gdry weight basis
Fig. 06 — Protein
Silkworm pupa elite protein paradigm comparison

The elite protein paradigm.

The amino acid spectrum is directly comparable to premium pork loin — the gold standard of traditional quality protein. And the pupa contains a full suite of essential amino acids in excellent proportions.

21.5g protein per 100g fresh weight — purpose-built for rapid human digestion and near-perfect utilization.

Fig. 07 — Lipids
Silkworm pupa lipid analysis — liquid gold fatty acids

Liquid gold & the 70.9% advantage.

Total fat lands at 13.0g per 100g fresh weight — and 70.9% of those lipids are functional unsaturated fatty acids, primarily α-linolenic acid, with no excess saturated fat.

Anti-inflammatoryα-linolenic acid converts to EPA/DHA
Blood pressureimproves endothelial function
Lipid modulationraises HDL, lowers triglycerides
Immune supportmetabolites regulate immune cells
Structure Is Function
Three circles intersect — the metamorphic masterwork

Every layer serves a single mission.

From the chitin shell to the fluid core, from macronutrient density to fatty acid profile — every structural layer of the silkworm pupa exists to pack maximum nutritional energy into the smallest possible volume.

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