Plugging nutrition gaps in a sustainable plant-based diet: Edible insects to the rescue

摘要

Background: Plant based diets are popular for environmental and health reasons. Care is required in vegetarian diets to ensure adequate intakes of nutrients obtained in animal foods. Nutritional gaps have been filled by food fortification or nutritional supplements. Insects are an emerging food source - cricket powder (ground, roasted crickets) is now available in a major Australian supermarket chain. Aim: To identify nutrients of concern in vegetarian diets and profile the nutrients present in cricket powder. Methods: Research at-risk nutrients in vegetarian diets. Source nutrient data for cricket powder and establish the nutrient contribution per serve of at-risk nutrients, including percent Recommended Daily Intake (%RDI) specified by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) for food labelling purposes ("regulatory RDI"). Results: Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D and long chain omega-3 fats are nutrients of concern in vegetarian diets. Available local product data shows cricket powder contains 1.7 mg iron (14% adult regulatory RDI*), 4.4 mg zinc (36% RDI*), 44 mg calcium (5% RDI*), 6.2ug vitamin B12 (300% RDI*) and 120 mg long chain omega-3 fats (LC n-3 fats) (75% AI, men; 130% AI, women) per 20 g serve. Vitamin D content is uncertain but suggested at lug (10% RDI*) and increases upon UV light exposure. Conclusions: Cricket powder is a source of iron, a good source of LCn-3 fats and an excellent source of zinc and vitamin B12. Cricket powder is a nutritious and sustainable food that could help fill nutritional gaps in a vegetarian diet, both in home food preparation and commercial products.