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Addition of edible insects to local staples used as complementary foods can improve their nutrient content. Nutritional quality and safety of Macrotermes bellicosus enriched boiled rice (BR) and yam (BY) complementary foods (CFs) was assessed using rats. Macrotermes bellicosus (MB) were collected, dried, and refrigerated at -4 o C. Ground MB was added to BR and BY in ratios 10.0%, 15.0%, 20.0% (w/w) to give BR 1 , BY 1 ; BR 2 , BY 2 , and BR 3 , BY 3 respectively. Nutrient content of MB, BY, BR and MB-enriched CFs were determined by AOAC methods. Nutrient bioavailability and safety of BR3 and BY 3 were assessed using rats fed ad libitum for 28 days. Serum trace minerals in the CFs, control and basal diets and histopathological effects of CFs on rats' organs were determined. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p<0.05. Dried MB contained 31.8g protein, 16.4g fat, 3.8g ash, 227.5mg calcium, 2.1mg iron, 15.0mg zinc, 330.4μg retinol equivalent (RE), and 529.0kcal energy/100g sample. The BR and BY contained 3.7-5.9g protein, 70.0-120mg calcium,4.2-5.6mg iron, 1.2-1.5mg zinc and 380-386kcal/100g compared with 7.9-15.3g protein, 242.2-264mg calcium, 2.4-4.4mg iron, 15.1-19.8mg zinc and 357-372kcal/100g enriched CFs (p<0.05). Rats Serum trace minerals ranged between 3. compared with control (3.2, 22.2, 34.1, 48.2) and basal (2.2, 21.1, 24.0 mg, 32.3 μg) diets respectively (p<0.05). No pathological lesions were observed in internal organs of rats on CF diets. Adding Macrotermes bellicosus to local complementary foods is safe and improved their nutritional quality, hence its use is recommended among mothers.

The period from birth to two years of age constitute critical window of opportunity for promoting optimal growth and development of a child. Inadequate food intake and poor feeding practices are causes of malnutrition among Nigerian children, as many locally formulated complementary foods are deficient in protein and micronutrients. Roasted Macrotermes bellicosus (MB) is nutritious and relished as snack by people living the traditional lifestyle. This study was carried out to investigate possible use of MB in formulating nutrient-dense complementary foods from maize and sorghum. Macrotermes bellicosus was collected in Ibadan, Nigeria during their swarming, roasted, de-winged, powdered and added to fermented corn (CF) and sorghum (SF) flour in the ratio 100%flour, 90%flour+10%MB, 85%flour+15%MB, and 80%flour+20%MB to give eight complementary foods, which were analysed for proximate, mineral, vitamin and antinutrient composition using AOAC methods.Hundred grammes of CF and SF contained 11.7g, 10.6g moisture, 8.9g, 9.7g crude protein, 3.1g, 2.8g fat, 74.3g, 74.8g total carbohydrates, 6.67mg, 26.60mg calcium, 295.50mg, 325.43mg phosphorus, 2.61mg, 7.61mg iron, 3.19mg, 2.41mg zinc, and yielded 353.9kcal, 358.6kcal energy respectively. Significant reduction occurred in moisture and carbohydrate content of MB-incorporated complementary foods while their crude protein, ash, fat, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins B 3 , B 6 B 12 and β-carotene content increased significantly as the level of inclusion of MB increased (p<0.05). Level of atinutritional factors were insignificantly low in the blends, and cannot pose any health risk. Macrotermes bellicosus can be used in enriching cereal-based complementary foods as means of reducing infant and young child malnutrition in Nigeria.

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