Large conehead grasshopper (Ruspolia nitidula) flour promises as alternative nutrition source

NEWS - There is growing interest in alternative protein sources including tasty insect dishes. The large conehead grasshopper (Ruspolia nitidula) shows promise as a sustainable source of nutrition as global population growth and traditional livestock production increasingly strain environmental resources.

Cameroon’s abundant grasshoppers provide nutrients such as protein, amino acids and minerals that are essential for health and growth. The ecological benefits and health benefits make insects a solution for food security and improving future diets

Ngnaniyyi Abdoul from the University of Dschang in Cameroon and team studied the effects of replacing Clupea harengus fishmeal with R. nitidula meal in the diet of mice. Over 12 weeks, the researchers evaluated how this dietary change affected libido, sleep, hair growth and overall health.

Replacing fishmeal with R. nitidula meal resulted in significant health improvements in mice. Libido was increased with increased intromission and ejaculation compared to mice fed fishmeal or a protein-deficient diet.

Sleep quality improved and was more restful. Hair quality was significantly superior with 94.58% of hair in optimal condition compared to only 5.55% and 0.27% in the fishmeal and protein-deficient groups, respectively. Mice also showed greater weight gain.

"We highlight the significant potential of insects such as R. nitidula as an alternative protein source. Grasshoppers meet nutritional needs and offer substantial health benefits, including increased libido, better sleep and better hair quality with broad implications for animal and human diets," said Abdoul.

R. nitidula, which occurs naturally in Africa, Europe and Asia, has the potential to be a sustainable and nutrient-rich alternative protein source for animal feed and could play a role in addressing human malnutrition, especially in resource-limited environments.

Original research

Abdoul N, Akwanjoh SR, Harding SN, et al. Nutritional and health benefits of Cameroonian grasshopper (Ruspolia nitidula) meal: effects on libido, sleep, hair growth and hunger in rats. Food Science of Animal Products, 2024, 2(2): 9240068, DOI:10.26599/FSAP.2024.9240068

Kunu buti (Mesosphaerum suaveolens)

Kunu buti ( Mesosphaerum suaveolens ) is a species of plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is an erect, herbaceous annual, growing up to 1.5 meters tall. Its cylindrical, rough, brown or green stem is hairy and white. It grows on forest floors, bushes, agricultural fields, and roadsides. Its roots are fibrous and brownish-yellow. M. suaveolens has single, opposite leaves, stalks 2-5 cm long and hairy. The leaf blades are green, hairy, oval, with pointed tips, blunt bases, serrated edges, up to 6 cm long, up to 5 cm wide, and pinnate veins. The flowers are compound, axillary, in clusters, perfect, and bisexual. The petals are attached, forming a tube, each tip elongated like a spine, soft, 3-10 mm long, and green. The corolla is attached, asymmetrically detached, 1-2 cm long, and purple. The fruit is single, hard, capsule-shaped, hairy on the surface, and green or brown in color. The seeds are round, small and blackish brown in color. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphyl...

Chameleon forest dragon (Gonocephalus chamaeleontinus)

Bunglon hutan or chameleon anglehead lizard or chameleon forest dragon ( Gonocephalus chamaeleontinus ) is an animal species in Agamidae, having a larger size than other species, the most unique head shape and has the ability to change color by changing mood rather than for camouflage. Morphology G. chamaeleontinus has a total length of 40 cm, the muzzle to the buttocks is 16 cm, the base color is green with orange, yellow to brownish spots and sexual dimorphism. The eyes are protected by a movable eyelid surrounded by a slightly darker color, while males have a bright blue color around the eyes. Short head with a triangle and thorns above the eyes. Medium-sized head scales, vary, smooth and have a little tubercle that extends above the ear. Heterodont teeth with acrodont type and dorsal tongue are covered by reticular papillae. The upper labial scale consists of 10-12 units and the lower labial scale consists of 11-14 units. Dorsal body scales are composed of small and fine ...

Fern tree (Filicium decipiens)

Kerai payung or fern tree ( Filicium decipiens ) is a plant species in Sapindaceae, a tree that is always green with thick and round canopies such as umbrellas, 5-10 m high but old specimens in nature can exceed 25 m, upright stems, gray bark ash to reddish brown, smooth when young but rough and cracked when mature. F. decipiens has large, fern-like and conspicuous leaves, up to 40 cm long and made of elongated longitudinal, glossy green leaflets arranged in pairs. Leaves on stems with a length of 3-10 cm, alternating, imparipinnat, 15-30 cm long and 12-15 cm wide. Winged rachis with 6-12 pairs of opposite or sub-opposite leaflets, sessile, oblong-lanceolate with full margins and slightly wavy, 6-12 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, coriaceous, dark green and glossy above. Flowers grow on stems with a length of 7 cm as panicles for lengths of 15-30 cm which carry many small, unisexual flowers and hermaphrodites with a diameter of 0.4-0.6 cm. Pentaparted petals with imbricate ovate lobes, fi...

Dlium