Cricket flour flour offers a safe, sustainable alternative to protein

Scientists reveal that only a mixture of 10% cricket flour can convert daily pasta into a nutrient -rich, environmentally friendly superfood, without at stake safety or taste.

Study: Cricket flour for a sustainable pasta: Increasing the dietary profile with a safe supplement. Credit Picture: Sophie Sparks Photography/Shutterstock.com

The incorporation of cricket flour into classic foods, such as pasta, could increase the protein and mineral content and can help relieve malnutrition. A recent study at Food It evaluates the nutritional profile of cricket flour and its potential as a sustainable source of food.

The perception and reality of food -based insects

Insects are rich in high quality proteins, beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, fibers and basic minerals (eg zinc, iron and selenium), making them a favorable source of nutrients that could exploit them to relieve them. In addition to a high nutritional profile, insect agriculture has a lower risk of transmitting animal disease, emits fewer greenhouse gases and requires significantly less water and space than traditional farming farming.

In many parts of the world, including Asia, Africa and Latin America, insects are traditionally consumed as food. Insect -based products are largely regulated under European law and require prior authorization prior to commercialization. Although many studies have documented multiple benefits of insect -based food products, they still face cultural resistance, mainly due to aging and neophobia.

A previous study showed the nutritional benefits and safety profiles of Acheta Domesticus. This study revealed that the addition of cricket flour to baked products improves the taste and aroma of the product, thereby enhancing consumer acceptance. Scientists believe that incorporating insect -based ingredients could allow these products to be gradually integrated into western diet.

For the study

Current study explores the basic nutrients of cricket flour and a commercially available Durum and Cricket flour mixture (containing 10% B/W Acheta domesticus flour). Wheat flour was used as reference and wheat pasta as a check (CTR). A special chef prepared a year -round pasta. Contents of protein, fatty acids and minerals, such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (CA) and magnesium (mg), analyzed using a typical process. The study also evaluated the presence of environmental infectious substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) and total oil hydrocarbons (TPH) to determine the chemical safety of the cricket flour.

Study findings

Barometric analysis showed that the ash content of cricket flour was 4.2% of the dry weight of the sample. After 48 hours of drying, the CTR and wheat pasta content was 14.04% and 11.07% respectively.

Water measures (AW) for control and wheat -cakes were 0.83 and 0.64, respectively. These AW values ​​are typical for dried pasta and cereal -based products, although it is slightly above the recommended limit <0.6 for dry raw materials. However, they indicate favorable stability and functionality during storage and processing.

According to the previous findings, the current study showed a content of Fe 10.8 mg/100 g of cricket flour, which is higher than the contents of FE of other common novels based on insects containing Molthei and Ruspolia Differens. Compared to wheat flour, the FE content in cricket flour is almost ten times higher. A similar trend was also observed for Zn (0.84 mg/100 grams) and CU (1.6 mg/100 grams).

High K (886 mg/100 grams), NA (389 mg/100 grams) and CA concentrations (973 mg/kg) were measured in cricket flour. In contrast, wheat flour contained only 133 mg/100 grams K, 20 mg/kg na and 200 mg/kg ca. According to the overall fat content, cricket flour contained 11% of total fat and pasta prepared using mixed wheat-grace flour contained about 2%. The fat content of insects usually differs between species and even within the same species due to normal diet -related adjustments, environmental conditions and temperature.

During eating 100 g of cricket flour, 23% of the energy was produced by fat metabolism. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) represented 42%of total fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for 41%and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) for 17%. Previous studies have shown that a diet rich in SFAS increases low serum lipoprotein levels, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.

Short -chain SFAs were found to be absent in cricket flour, but medium -chain SFAs, such as palmitic and myrrhic acids, were known to affect cholesterol levels.

Palmitic and myrrho acids were detected in cricket flour specimens. The current study showed that consuming cricket flour contributes to 9.8% of total saturated fats, while wheat-crutch flour pasta provide 1.9% of total energy from SFAS.

Cricket flour contained 17% oleic acid, a nutritional MUFA, and these levels are comparable to traditional wheat pasta (15%) and pasta prepared with wheat-grace flour. Previous studies have shown that oleic acid reduces low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), which protects against cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and certain types of cancer.

Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, was found at a high concentration in cricket flour, which represented 39% of total fatty acids. Increased intake of linoleic acid has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

The current study is estimated that the overall Cricket Flour amino acid content is 60%, significantly higher than most consumed foods. Both cricket flour and mixed flour samples showed higher levels of almost all measured amino acids, including alanine, valine and lysine, compared to wheat -based. However, while pure samples of cricket had a significantly higher amino acid concentration, the 10% cricket mixture only improved the amino acid levels only above the wheat.

Samples of cricket flour contained a higher concentration of total oil hydrocarbon (TPH) from other samples of flour and pasta. However, the levels were much lower than those in different foods such as fish or meat and were found within thresholds. All samples showed carbon preference indicator (CPI) above 1, indicating biogenic origin of hydrocarbons.

The study was also tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) found at low concentrations in all samples. Cricket flour did not show detectable levels of the most disgusting PAH like Benzo[a]Pyrene levels and overall PAH levels remained well below EU security thresholds, further supporting its safety for human consumption.

The researchers confirmed the presence of chitin in cricket flour, an ingredient with possible prebiotic effects that could benefit bowel health and microbial diversity.

Conclusions

Compared to commercially available wheat flour, cricket flour contained a higher concentration of proteins and basic minerals, such as Na, Ca, Fe and K., adding 10% cricket flour to wheat flour to make pasta substantially reduces the daily intake.

However, the study points out that a 10% substitution improves only moderate amino acid content, suggesting that higher integration rates or supplementary dietary sources may be necessary to achieve complete nutritional benefits.

Specifically, the study found that environmental infectious substances such as PAH and hydrocarbons were at levels below the regulatory boundaries, enhancing the safety of cricket flour as a food ingredient.

With the strong nutrition profile, the minimum concerns about safety and compatibility with well -known foods such as pasta, cricket flour can provide a very promising strategy for improving the quality and sustainability of the nutrition, especially if imported into small, culturally accepted amounts.

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