Nutritional characterization of fatty acids and minerals in Brachystola magna (Girard) during their development

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ABSTRACT

Due to the growing demand for food sources, it is increasingly common to opt for entomophagy, in addition to contributing to the control of grasshopper Brachystola magna (Girard) insect considered a harmful pest for agriculture in the regions where it lives. In this study, a nutritional characterization on the grasshopper B. magna in four different stages of its biological cycle (egg, nymph 3, nymph 4 and adult) was performed. In the adult stage, values of protein and lipid content of 64.7 and 8.2%, respectively, were obtained through proximal chemical analysis. For the determination of fatty acids and minerals the techniques of gas chromatography and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used. The results of fatty acids and minerals indicated a high content of both, unsaturated fatty acids of eighteen carbons, especially oleic, and the minerals K⁺¹, Mg⁺² and Ca⁺² with a relatively low presence of Na⁺¹ due to its peculiar source of feed (bean). The results suggest that Brachystola magna (Girard) could be a potential source of consumption for healthy people and people with specific needs (people with cardiovascular problems of high protein requirements, such as caloric-protein malnutrition and bodybuilding).

Keywords: Edible insects; Nutritional characterization; Unsaturated fatty acids; Proteins; Minerals

INTRODUCTION

The Orthoptera order is one of the most common insect groups (more than 20,000 species) in the world. The populations of some of the species classified in this order can reach extremely large numbers of individuals and cause economic failures in areas of agricultural crops (Antonatos et al., 2014; Erdogan and Kaya, 2016). In this order, the grasshopper is one of the insects recommended as an excellent alternative food, due to its high nutritional value (mainly for its high protein content) (Ramos-Elorduy et al., 1998; Ramos-Elorduy et al., 2012; Melo Ruiz et al., 2015). Grasshopper's biological cycle is annual, although in laboratory conditions it may last a minimum of 230 days and a maximum of 350 days. Mating occurs in the months of August and September lasting 7 h as maximum. Egg laying occurs four to five days later, at the borders of the plots, roads, ditches, etc., incubating in the soil at a depth of 1.5 to 5 cm and at a temperature of 30 °C, during eight...