Asian Journal of Food Research and Nutrition

Aim: This study evaluated the proximate composition and functional properties of whole cricket protein meal (WCRIPM), defatted cricket protein meal (DCRIPM), and cricket protein hydrolysate (CRIPH) prepared from Brachytrupes membranaceus.

Study Design: A laboratory experiment compared the three cricket protein preparations.

Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted in the laboratories of the Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Food Technology and Human Ecology, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Crickets were harvested locally between April and July, and processing and analysis continued over the subsequent months.

Methodology: Whole cricket meal was prepared, defatted with acetone, and hydrolysed sequentially with pepsin and pancreatin. Proximate composition and selected functional properties were determined.

Results: Protein content increased from 61.0% in WCRIPM to 67.5% in DCRIPM and 79.9% in CRIPH, whereas fat content decreased from 16.9% to 1.40% and 1.30%, respectively. Water absorption capacity declined from 288.0% to 240.3%, oil absorption capacity from 235.4% to 180.2%, and bulk density from 0.63 to 0.48 g/cm³. Conversely, foaming capacity increased from 78.0% to 93.0%, foam stability from 83.0% to 97.0%, reconstitution index from 1.80 to 3.50 mL/g, and emulsifying capacity from 44.0% to 70.0%.

Conclusion: Defatting and enzymatic hydrolysis concentrated protein and altered functionality. The whole meal showed greater water- and oil-binding capacities, whereas CRIPH showed improved foaming, reconstitution, and emulsifying properties, indicating different potential food-formulation applications.