Nutritional Value and Biological Activity of Gluten-Free Bread Enriched with Cricket Powder

Abstract

Cricket powder, described in the literature as a source of nutrients, can be a valuable ingredient to supplement deficiencies in various food products. Work continues on the implementation of cricket powder in products that are widely consumed. The aim of this study was to obtain gluten-free bread with a superior nutritional profile by means of insect powder addition. Gluten-free breads enriched with 2%, 6%, and 10% of cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder were formulated and extensively characterized. The nutritional value, as well as antioxidant and β-glucuronidase activities, were assessed after simulated in vitro digestion. Addition of cricket powder significantly increased the nutritional value, both in terms of the protein content (exceeding two-, four-, and seven-fold the reference bread (RB), respectively) and above all mineral compounds. The most significant changes were observed for Cu, P, and Zn. A significant increase in the content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in the enriched bread was also demonstrated; moreover, both values additionally increased after the digestion process. The total polyphenolic compounds content increased about five-fold from RB to bread with 10% CP (BCP10), and respectively about three-fold after digestion. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity before digestion increased about four-fold, and after digestion about six-fold. The use of CP also reduced the undesirable activity of β-glucuronidase by 65.9% (RB vs. BCP10) in the small intestine, down to 78.9% in the large intestine. The influence of bread on the intestinal microflora was also evaluated, and no inhibitory effect on the growth of microflora was demonstrated, both beneficial (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and pathogenic (Enterococcus and Escherichia coli). Our results underscore the benefits of using cricket powder to increase the nutritional value and biological activity of gluten-free food products.

Low-Field NMR Study of Shortcake Biscuits with Cricket Powder, and Their Nutritional and Physical Characteristics

“…This phenomenon contributed to the initial increase in the whiteness index of the biscuits (CP2), that was neglected at higher CP content due to a more substantial lightness decrease. Similar changes were observed by Zielińska and Pankiewicz [ 53 ] in cookies enriched with Tenebrio molitor , as well as in other cereal products enriched with CP [ 20 , 24 , 54 ].…”

“…Fat was extracted from the biscuits using the standard procedure described by Folch et al [ 97 ] and the fatty acid composition was determined according to the AOCS Official Method Ce 1 h-05 [ 98 ] according to the parameters described in detail previously [ 54 ] with an Agilent 7820A GC (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA) equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID) and SLB-IL111 capillary column (Supelco, Bellefonte, PA, USA) (100 m, 0.25 mm, 0.20 μm). The results were expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids.…”

Nutritional, Physiochemical, and Biological Value of Muffins Enriched with Edible Insects Flour

“…Other authors suggested the similarity of these products to the color of whole grain products [60]. The color of the supplemented muffins was darker than the control, similarly to products enriched with insect flour a noted by other authors [3,33,35,39,60]. In turn, the dark color of fortified products may depend on several factors, such as the color of the raw materials; insect flour is darker than wheat flour.…”

“…Recently, there has been a lot of work focusing on designing products with insects and studying their properties. The most commonly fortified products are bakery products [3,30], bread [2,[31][32][33], biscuits [34][35][36], snacks [37,38], pasta [39], tortillas [40], and meat products such as pâtés [41,42], frankfurters [43], sausages [44], or burgers [45,46]. This research aimed to study the incorporation of flours from two different insects (mealworms Tenebrio molitor and crickets Gryllodes sigillatus) into wheat muffins, by assessment of physical parameters, nutrient composition, bioactive properties, and sensory characteristics.…”

High Protein Substitutes for Gluten in Gluten-Free Bread

“…One study where cricket powder ( Acheta domesticus ) was used to replace starch (from rice and corn) at levels 2%, 6% and 10% resulted in exceeding a two-, four- and seven-fold increase in nutritional value, in terms of the protein content, compared to control bread [ 44 ]. In addition, a significant decrease in crumb lightness was observed.…”