National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
This study deals with the analysis of the nutritive value of five edible insects of the orders, Lepidoptera (caterpillars) and Coleoptera (raphia palm weevil) from North West and Centre regions in Cameroon. The contents in water, ash, lipids, proteins and crude fibres were determined according to standard AOAC methods, minerals by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and phosphorus by colorimetry. The water content ranged from 26 (R. phoenicis) to 72.35 % fresh weight (I. dione). The lipid content was from 6.59 (I. oyemensis) to 41.36% (R. phoenicis), proteins from 10.87 (I. dione) to16.72% (R. phoenicis), ash from 0.66 (I. dione) to 1.29 % (R. phoenicis), crude fibres from 2.10 (I. dione) to 5.60% (R. phoenicis) and total carbohydrates from 5.16 (I. truncata) to 8.54% edible portion (EP) (R. phoenicis). The results showed that these insects were good sources of macronutrients, especially R. Phoenicis, whose protein and lipid levels make up more than 50% of the weight, making them good sources for the fight against protein-calorie malnutrition. The mineral contents (expressed in mg/100g EP) were as follows: Phosphorus was from 69.91 (I. oyemensis) to180.43 (R. phoenicis), calcium from 20.26 (I. dione) to 37.84 (R. phoenicis), magnesium from 32.13 (I. dione) to103.44 (R. phoenicis), potassium from 152.31 (I. dione) to 296.01 (R.phoenicis), sodium from 0.38 (I. oyemensis) to 1.68 (R. phoenicis), copper from 0.26 (I.truncata) to1.57 (R. phoenicis), manganese from 0.50 (B. alcinoe) to 8.32 (Imbrasia dione), iron from 1.12 (I. dione) to 7.47 (R. phoenicis) and zinc from 2.24 (I. truncata) to 6.23 (R. phoenicis). The Coleoptera (R. Phoenicis) also had the highest level of all the minerals analysed except Mn, and could therefore be used to help against some mineral deficiencies. The Ca/P ratios were < 0.5, implying enhanced Ca absorption in the gut.
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