Chemical characterization and nutritional potential of a Costa Rican edible cricket (Gryllus sp.) for human consumption

This study characterized the morphology, proximate composition, micronutrient profile, amino acid distribution, and fatty acid composition of a Gryllus sp. powder to evaluate its nutritional quality. Morphological examination assigned the specimens to the genus Gryllus while suggesting possible divergence from currently described species. Protein content calculated using chitin-corrected nitrogen reached 61.48 g/100 g dry matter, providing an improved estimate of true protein content. Total fat was 11.65 g/100 g, while ash 5.01 g/100 g and dietary fiber 7.43 g/100 g, indicating limited discriminatory power of proximate composition alone. The mineral profile showed elevated macro-elements, particularly K (1,037.50 mg/100 g), P (915.00 mg/100 g), and Ca (313.75 mg/100 g), while α-tocopherol (23.80 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (11.64 mg/100 g) revealed a distinctive micronutrient pattern. The essential amino acid profile yielded an EAA/TAA ratio of 56.51%, supporting favorable protein quality; however, Lys (34.78 mg/g protein) was identified as the first limiting amino acid relative to FAO reference patterns, differing from limitation patterns reported for other Gryllus species. The lipid fraction was dominated by linoleic (34.29%) and oleic acids (30.66%), resulting in favorable cardiometabolic indices characterized by low atherogenicity (0.63) and thrombogenicity (0.53). Overall, the nutritional profile confirms the potential of Gryllus sp. as a high-quality protein source with favorable lipid quality indices and a potentially favorable cardiometabolic fatty acid profile. Comprehensive nutritional profiling therefore represents a useful complementary approach for the characterization of edible cricket materials.