內(nèi)容: Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a persistent public health challenge in most developing countries. This study investigated the protein nutritional value of wheat and wheat-sorghum biscuits fortified with longhorn grasshopper (Ruspolia differens) to determine their suitability as a supplementary food. Fourteen diets were fed to male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats, including 11 isonitrogenous diets with 10% protein prepared from 10 biscuit variations and skimmed milk powder as a reference, 1 protein-free diet, and 2 rehabilitation diets made with wheat and wheat-sorghum biscuits fortified with 40% Ruspolia differens powder (RDP). The protein efficiency ratio, food efficiency ratio, true and apparent protein digestibility, and net protein retention ratio results for the fortified biscuit diets were all negative, with the exception of wheat biscuits supplemented with RDP 40%. The isonitrogenous diets maintained the rats with no substantial weight gain or loss. Rats on rehabilitation diets gained weight rapidly, by 61% and 69% for wheat-sorghum and wheat diets, respectively. Weight increase during rehabilitation was considerably higher (P < 0.05) by 50% and 54.6% in wheat-sorghum and wheat diet groups compared to normal growth phases. The rehabilitated rats had a greater percentage of body weight than the experimental groups. The protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of fortified biscuits ranged from 26% to 33% for wheat biscuits and 22% to 32% for wheat-sorghum biscuits. The digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) of the fortified biscuits varied from 47% to 60% for wheat biscuits and 44% to 60% for wheat-sorghum biscuits. As a result, the fortified biscuits fell short of the minimum requirements of 70% for PDCAAS and 75% for DIAAS in fortified protein diets. Furthermore, it appears that substituting 10% RDP to wheat-sorghum and wheat biscuits does not promote rat growth. Fortification with 40% RDP, on the other hand, dramatically improves rat’s growth and rehabilitation. Because of their high protein nutritional content, the biscuits fortified with 40% RDP could be used as a supplementary to help rehabilitate malnourished children.

內(nèi)容: Against a backdrop of insufficient food production for a rapidly growing world population, the search for alternative resources, particularly low-cost proteins with a negligible ecological footprint, is a vital issue. Biochemical studies have revealed coveted nutritional compositions in edible insects. Moreover, edible grasshoppers are often abundant for several months at a time in many parts of Cameroon. This study assessed the qualitative and quantitative contribution of the edible grasshopper (Ruspolia nitidula) meal in Cameroon to rat feed. The Clupea harengus fishmeal classically used was substituted by R. nitidula meal. Rats (n = 216, 108 males and 108 females) aged 10 weeks and weighing (165.15 ± 6.10) g were divided into 3 batches of 72 rats each. Rats in batches 1 and 2 were fed diets prepared from R. nitidula and C. harengus meal, respectively. Rats in batch 3 were fed a ration deficient in protein. The average body weight with R. nitidula meal was (180.10 ± 12.34) g and (172.76 ± 11.17) g with C. harengus meal. These values fell sharply with the protein deficient diet ((146.15 ± 8.65) g). What’s more, 94.58% of the hairs examined were in better condition for all animals fed R. nitidula meal, compared with 5.55% and 0.27% respectively for rats fed C. harengus meal and protein-free diets. In addition, R. nitidula meal boosted libido by + 4.77 intromissions per hour, boosted by + 1.26 ejaculations per hour compared to animals fed protein-free diets. Sleep was improved by 11.95, 5.99 and – 4.65 h/week on R. nitidula, C. harengus and protein-free diets respectively. No significant differences were observed between males and females. In addition to improving sexual desire and copulation frequency in rats, R. nitidula meal is a good candidate for improving hair aesthetics, sleep and fertility in rats suffering from hair loss, insomnia and infertility.