Mexican grasshopper (Sphenarium purpurascens) as source of high protein flour: Techno-functional characterization, and in silico and in vitro biological potential.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the techno-functional properties of Mexican grasshopper flour with different thermal pretreatments, as well as to assess the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of their protein hydrolysates. Insect flour was thermally treated at 70, 80, 90, and 121 °C. Insect flour protein solubility (184.3 - 278.5 mg/g) was higher at pH 7.0 - 11.0. Thermally processed flour at 70, 80 and 90 °C showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in water/oil holding capacity, emulsion properties and gel minimum concentration. Protein hydrolysates presented antioxidant potential for DPPH (IC50: 0.78 mg/mL), ABTS (IC50: 0.63 mg/mL) and nitric oxide (IC50: 2.21 mg/mL). Protein hydrolysates showed inhibition potential against enzymes COX-2 (IC50: 0.52 mg/mL) and iNOS (IC50: 0.51 mg/mL) in biochemical trials. Molecular docking showed that from the 37 identified peptide sequences, GPPGPAGV (-9.5 kcal/mol) and KPTVGVVTY (-10.4 kcal/mol) have the lower binding energies for COX-2 and iNOS, respectively. S. purpurascens flour and protein hydrolysates could be used as a functional ingredient.