Comparing the Nutritional Composition of Some Edible Insects and Some Animal Meats in North-western State of Nigeria

Five different edible insects from Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto and Zamfara States of North-Western Nigeria, namely; Red Locust (Nomadacris setemfasciata), Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria), Variegated Grasshopper (Zonocerus wariegatus), Termite (Macrotermes bellicosus) and Brown Cricket (Gryllotapha Africana), were collected alongside with meats from camel (Camellus dromedaries), Cow (Bos indicus), Ram (Ovis aries), Chicken (Gallus gallus), and Fish (Clariaslazera). The insects were oven dried separately at 60ºC for 3-5hrs while the meats were dried at 60ºC for 48hrs. The dried contents of both the insects and the meats were ground separately and each was subjected to proximate analysis. The results indicated the nutrient to have Carbohydrates ranging between 0.7 g - 12.1 g in the insects and 0.4 g-10.2 g in the meats, Proteins ranging from 12.6 g - 57.3 g in the insects and 18.1 g – 70.4 g in the meats, Fats, Fibre, Ash and Moisture having ranges between 5 g - 17.9 g, 5 g - 20 g, 4g -10 g, 11.5 g - 53.6 g, respectively in insects and 18.4 g - 70.4 g Fats, 5 g Fibre, 2.4 g - 10.4 g Ash and 13.4 g – 59 g moisture in the meats. Equally, the minerals showed varied in both the insects and the meats. Statistical comparison of the means of the results showed that the Carbohydrates, the Protein and the Fibre do not differ (P˂0.0) significantly in both the insects and the meats. Similarly Copper, Iron, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium do not differ significantly in the two groups. This suggested that insects as diet when taken in required amount can meet the protein requirement of the human body and can therefore supplement animal meats in our diets.