Abstract:
The longhorn grasshopper (Ruspolia differens) forms a major part of the food culture
of communities in the Lake Victoria Region of East Africa. The aim of this research
was therefore to assess the nutritional potential of this insect to the human diet in the
region in combating nutritional deficiencies that are of public health concern. The
green and brown coloured grasshoppers were studied. They were found to contain a
protein content of 37.1% and 35.3%, fat content of 48.2% and 46.2%, ash content of
2.8% and 2.6%, a fibre content of 3.9% and 4.9% for the green and brown grasshoppers
respectively. Among the macro minerals, potassium (K) was the most abundant with
a value of 370.6 mg/100g and 259.7 mg/100g, phosphorus (P) 140.9 mg/100g and
121.0 mg/100g while calcium (Ca) levels showed overall means of 27.4 mg/100g and
24.5 mg/100g in the green and brown grasshopper respectively. Iron (Fe) was the most
abundant among the trace minerals with a value of 16.6 mg/100g and 13.0 mg/100g
while zinc showed a mean value of 17.3 mg/100g and 12.4 mg/100g in the green and
brown grasshopper respectively. The insects showed a retinol concentration of 2.1
μg/g and 2.8 μg/g, α-tocopherol 201.0 μg/g and 152.0 μg/g, riboflavin 1.2 mg/100g
and 1.4 mg/100g, 2.1 mg/100g and 2.4 mg/100g of niacin for the green and brown
grasshopper respectively. Lipid analysis revealed that the insects’ oil comprised of
high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 89.4% and 84.3% neutral lipids, 7.4%
and 9.3% phospholipids, 3.2% and 6.4% glycolipids for green and brown grasshopper
respectively. These values suggest that Ruspolia differens has potential for exploitation
to combat nutritional deficiencies that are of public health concerns. The insect could
form a base for new food products of considerable nutritive value.
