Could Grasshoppers Be a Nutritive Meal?

Julieta Ramos-Elorduy Blásquez, José Manuel Pino Moreno, Víctor Hugo Martínez Camacho

Instituto de Biología, Departamento de Zoología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México..

DOI: 10.4236/fns.2012.32025                

Abstract

The nutritive value of 25 edible Orthoptera in Mexico is shown. Protein content ranges from 43.93% to 77.13% (mix of Edible Acrididade of Puebla). Fat percentage goes from 4.22% to 34.21%. Richest species in ashes were Arphia fallax S., Sphenarium histrio G. and Sphenarium purpurascens Ch. with 16.5%. Energy contribution varies from 14.05 kJ to 21.88 kJ. Their amino acids profile was compared with the WHO/FAO/UNU Pattern (1985). The total quantity of es-sential amino acids that all insects species provides was superior to those signaled in the pattern. The highest quantity (53.60 g) was for Sphenarium histrio G. Chemical score goes from 50% to 88%. In vitamins, the highest value in Thiamine and Riboflavine was for Sphenarium magnum M., in Niacine for Sphenarium borrei B., in vitamin C and for vitamin D Acheta domestica L., and in Vitamin A for Periplaneta americana L. In minerals, all species were very rich in magnesium. All the edible orthopterans results were compared with those of the most conventional mexican foods used to obtain proteins. The quantity and quality of the nutrients that these edible orthopterans allows, provides a significant contribution to the nutrition of the peasants who eat them.

Keywords

Edible; Orthoptera; Nutritive; Value; Mexico; Proteins; Fats; Energy

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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