Evaluation of Nutritional Quality and Oxidation Stability of Fermented Edible Insects

Fermentation, a traditional method for enhancing nutritional value and functionality, has significant potential for improving the quality, safety and acceptability of farmed insect products. In this study, yellow mealworm, house cricket and migratory locust were fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum and a commercial starter culture for 48 h. Samples were analyzed for proximate composition, amino and fatty acid profiles, elemental composition and oxidation stability. Fermentation reduced total dietary fiber in yellow mealworm (33%) and house cricket (12%), and increased non-protein nitrogen (38% and 16%), while total and protein nitrogen remained unaffected. Fatty acid profiles also remained unchanged, whereas the amino acid composition varied depending on the species and fermentation culture. Essential mineral concentrations varied depending on species and fermentation culture Fe (19-23%), K (25%), Mg (12-23%), Mn (36-378%), Na (20-49%) and P (22%) increased, levels of Se (15%), and Cu (16%) decreased, while Zn levels showed inconsistent trends among treatments. Oxidation stability of yellow mealworm (41-42%) and migratory locust (21-29%) decreased, but improved for house cricket (153-167%). Overall, fermentation enhanced the nutritional value of edible insects, although the extent of improvement varied by species and fermentation culture.