Assessment of Mulberry Silkworm Pupae and African Palm Weevil larvae as alternative protein sources in snack fillings.

The search for alternative food sources especially protein to meet the nutritional demand of the projected 9 billion world population by 2050 is now critical. Edible insect is an alternative source of protein in many African and Asian cuisines where beef, pork and chicken are perceived to be relatively expensive. The current study evaluates Mulberry Silkworm Pupae (MSP) and African Palm Weevil larvae (APW) as substitute to the mainstream proteins in snacks fillings, and also assessing the consumer acceptability of the new products. The chemical composition showed that MSP is higher in protein and soluble fibre contents while APW is higher in crude fat, crude fibre, zinc, manganese and calcium contents. The cooked edible insects were rich in both essential and non-essential amino acids. When used as fillings for snacks, the protein content of the snacks produced with APW and MSP compared favourably well with the snacks produced with beef fillings. The fat contents of the snacks were 18 % lower than those of snacks made with beef fillings. The mineral contents of the snack with APW were significantly higher than the other samples. There was no significant difference in the taste and overall acceptability of samosa snack produced with beef, APW and MSP. African palm weevil larvae and Mulberry silkworm pupae could serve as alternative sources of protein in the production of snacks and cuisines, and a viable source of income generation.

Optimization of extrusion conditions for the production of instant grain amaranth-based porridge flour.

Malnutrition is one of the foremost causes of death among children below 5 years in developing countries. Development of nutrient-dense food formulations using locally available crops has been proposed as a means to combat this menace. This study optimized the extrusion process for the production of a nutritious amaranth-based porridge flour. Least cost formulations containing grain amaranth, groundnut, iron-rich beans, pumpkin, orange-fleshed sweet potato, carrot, and maize were developed and evaluated by a sensory panel (n = 30) for acceptability using the 9-point hedonic scale. Extrusion process of the most acceptable porridge flour was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Barrel temperature (130-170°C) and feed moisture content (14%-20%) were the independent variables which significantly (p < .05) affected in vitro protein digestibility, vitamin A retention, total polyphenol, phytic content, and iron and zinc extractabilities. Optimization of the extrusion process improved the nutritional quality of the instant flour.