Physicochemical properties of edible cricket oils: Implications for use in pharmaceutical and food industries
Dorothy K. Murugu,
Arnold N. Onyango,
Alex K. Ndiritu,
Dorothy N. Nyangena,
Isaac M. Osuga,
Xavier Cheseto,
Sevgan Subramanian,
Sunday Ekesi,
Chrysantus M. Tanga
Affiliations
Dorothy K. Murugu
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Human Nutrition Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200 Nairobi, Kenya
Arnold N. Onyango
Department of Human Nutrition Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200 Nairobi, Kenya
Alex K. Ndiritu
Department of Human Nutrition Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200 Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Public Health, University of Kabianga, P.O. Box 2030-20200 Kericho, Kenya
Dorothy N. Nyangena
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Isaac M. Osuga
Department of Animal Science, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200 Nairobi, Kenya
Xavier Cheseto
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Corresponding author.
Sevgan Subramanian
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Sunday Ekesi
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Chrysantus M. Tanga
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
The prevailing global market demands locally produced, sustainable oils for biomedical applications. This study focused on evaluating the quality of cricket-derived oils and meals from Scapsipedus icipe Hugel, Tanga, and Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer common delicacy in Africa, following standard methods for physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, and phytochemicals (oxalates, phytates, tannins, and polyphenols). The cricket oils physicochemical properties aligned with Codex Alimentarius standards for edible oils, including low solidification temperature (< 2 °C), a high refractive index (1.46), and a specific gravity of 0.88. Notably, peroxide values (1.9 to 2.5 mg mEq O2/kg), acid values (1.1 to 2.2 mg KOH/g), and saponification values (234–246 mg KOH/g) all are indicative of lightness and unsaturated fatty acids. Nutritionally, cricket powder was rich in protein (56.8–56.9% -) and fat (31.7–33.5% -of dry matter), with significant amounts of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Predominant saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were palmitic (23.9–31.2 mg/100 g-) and oleic acids (10.9–11.4 mg/100 g- of oil), respectively. Antioxidant values (48.0 to 65.0 mg/100 g), inferred from total polyphenols, suggests a stable oil with long shelf-life. These results highlight the promising and sustainable potential of cricket-derived oils for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
