Edible orthopterans (grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts) are major delicacies, especially across sub-Saharan Africa. Their promotion as food ingredients is increasingly gaining momentum. This study evaluates the nutritional profiles of three widely consumed orthopterans: Gryllus bimaculatus, Locusta migratoria, and Schistocerca gregaria after blanching and oven-drying. All three species had high protein (65.3, 54.2, and 61.4% on a dry matter (DM) basis for G. bimaculatus, L. migratoria, and S. gregaria, respectively) and fat contents. Oleic (22.9-40.8%) and palmitic (26.1-43.0%) were the two most abundant fatty acids. All essential amino acids (in mg/100 g protein) were present, with glutamic acid (120-131), alanine (90.2-123), and leucine (82.3-84.6) being the most abundant. The minerals (in mg/100 g dry matter) potassium (796-1309) and phosphorus (697-968) were moderately high, and iron (4.60-7.31), zinc (12.7-24.9), manganese (0.40-7.15), and copper (1.20-4.86) were also observed in the samples. Vitamin B12 contents were high (0.22-1.35 µg/100 g dry matter). Our findings demonstrate that the excellent nutritional profile of the three processed insects could serve as promising alternative ingredients for improving food and nutritional security.
Keywords: East Africa; complementary foods; edible insects; fat quality; micronutrients; processing; protein quality.