Abstract:
Adequate nutrition during the first 1000 days of life is fundamental to children’s healthy
growth. Poor complementary foods (CFs) are major causes of stunting and adverse
developmental outcomes. Blending of locally available foods with edible insects which are
rich in essential nutrients can improve nutrient intake and prevent malnutrition in children.
This study was conducted to determine potential contribution of Macrotermesbellicosus (MB)
nutrients to locally formulated CFs.
An experimental study design involving the use of MB was used. The MBwere collected during
their swarming season in Oyo and Ekiti States, roasted for 10 minutes and refrigerated at -4
oC.
White maize, brown sorghum, rice and white yam were purchased. Maize and sorghum grains
were soaked for 72 hours, washed, wet-milled, sieved, allowed to settle for 3 hours, drained,
and hot air dried at 60oC for 12 hours to produce maize flour (MF) and sorghum flour (SF),
respectively. Ground MB was added in ratio 10.0%, 15.0% and 20.0% (w/w) inclusion levels
to each of MF, SF, boiled rice (BR) and boiled yam (BY) to give MF1, SF1, BR1 and BY1;
MF2, SF2, BR2 and BY2, and MF3, SF3, BR3 and BY3. Nutrients and anti-nutrients composition
of MB, MF, SF, BY, BR and the MB-enriched samples were determined using standard AOAC
methods. Nutritional qualities of MB and best MB-enriched CFs were assessed using male
Wistar strain rats of six per group fed ad libitum for 28 days. Protein efficiency ratio (PER)
and growth rate (GR) of rats on control (casein as protein), MB-enriched and basal diets were
determined. Serum trace elements in the best MB-enriched CFs, control and basal diets were
assessed using standard methods and histopathological effects of the CFs on rats’ internal
organs (kidney, liver and spleen) were determined. Data were analysed using descriptive
statistics and ANOVA at α 0.05.
Macrotermes bellicosus contained in (g) 31.8 crude protein (CP), 16.4 fat, 3.8 ash, (mg) 227.5
calcium, 2.1 iron, 15.0 zinc, 330.4 μg retinol equivalent (RE), 6.7 μg vitamin D, and 0.1 mg
trypsin-inhibitor and yielded 529.0 kcal per100g. Samples of MF, SF, BR and BY contained
(g) 3.7-9.7 CP, 2.4-3.1 fat, 2.4-2.7 ash, (mg) 6.7-120.0 calcium, 2.6-7.6 iron, 1.2-3.17 zinc,
30.2-216.2 µg β-carotene and 358.6-386.0 Kcal per100g. Macrotermesbellicosus-enriched
food at 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0% inclusion contained 7.9-21.2 CP, 2.9-5.8 fats, 2.9-4.5 ash in
gram, and 7.5-264.0 calcium, 2.4-9.2 iron, 1.9-19.8 zinc in mg, 34.8-227.6 µg β-carotene and
yielded 357.0-372.0 Kcal. Weight gain and PER of rats fed MB-enriched diet (23.2±6.7, 2.4)
were significantly higher than control (16.8±6.9, 1.9) and basal (-19.5±9.0g, -3.3). Serum
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trace elements in rats fed with four best MB-enriched diet (MF3, SF3, BR3 and BY3) ranged
(mg) 3.4-4.3 zinc, 23.4-27.9 calcium, 30.6-37.0 iron and 52.5-56.9μg RE, which were
significantly higher than the control (3.2, 22.2 , 34.1, 48.2) and basal (2.2, 21.1, 24.0 mg,
32.3 μg) diets, respectively. No pathological lesions in internal organs of rats fed CFs diets.
Additionof Macrotermes bellicosus to the staples as complementary food improved nutrient
contents and bioavailability.
