Comparative proximate and mineral compositions between beans seed and dried edible grasshopper

Abstract

Recent problems linked to meat consumption have led to renewed interest in vegetarian diets. This research was aimed to analyse and compare the minerals and proximate contents of grasshopper and beans seed in order to explore their nutritional values in human and animal diets. The standard procedures were followed to analyse the proximate compositions and mineral concentrations of the substrates. The mineral content was analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and by Flame Spectrophotometer. The results shows that beans and grasshopper samples are rich in nutrients: crude protein content of 35.40% and 38.65% (w/w), crude lipid of 26.07% and 24.27% (w/w), carbohydrate contents are 19.83% and 20.74% (w/w), ash contents of the substrates are 5.29% and 7.58% (w/w), moisture contents were found to be 8.02% and 4.34% (w/w) respectively The mineral determination showed that beans and grasshopper samples contained (2.243 ± 0.363 mg/kg) and (1.132 ± 0.009 mg/kg) of calcium, (0.185 ± 0.028 mg/kg) and (875 ± 0.015 mg/kg) of iron, (0.242 ± 0.025 mg/kg) and (0.662 ± 0.065mg/kg) of magnesium. This study concluded that grasshopper have high protein content and excellent production efficiency compared with other conventional food groups and could be used in the management of protein-energy malnutrition.