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. 2025 Jan 24;16:1003. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56259-1

Table 3.

Average amounts of minerals, protein, fat, total polyphenols and phytic acid ingested by the four test mealsa

With crickets Without crickets
Whole Low-chitin High-zinc Low-zinc
WC EC HZ LZ
Amount of flour (g) consumed per meal
 Maize flour 5.59 ± 0.94 5.31 ± 1.31 6.93 ± 0.01 6.93 ± 0.01
 Insect flour 16.14 ± 2.70a 15.54 ± 3.63a - -
Amount of zinc (mg) consumed per meal
 Insect flour: 2.49 ± 0.42 1.89 ± 0.44 - -
of which intrinsically labeled (67Zn)1 0.41 ± 0.07 0.33 ± 0.08 - -
 Maize flour: 0.12 ± 0.02 0.11 ± 0.03 0.15 ± 0.00 0.15 ± 0.00
 Extrinsically added isotope-labeled (68Zn)2 - - 0.75 ± 0.00 0.75 ± 0.00
 Extrinsically added natural isotope composition - 0.51 ± 0.12 2.34 ± 0.00 -
Total zinc 2.61 ± 0.44b 2.51 ± 0.59b 3.24 ± 0.00a 0.9 ± 0.00c
 PA:Zinc3 1.9 1.9 1.9 6.9
Amount of other micronutrients (mg) consumed per meal
 Calcium 9.73 ± 0.04a 23.36 ± 5.45c 0.29 ± 0.00b 0.29 ± 0.00b
 Iron 1.00 ± 0.17a 0.95 ± 0.22a 0.12 ± 0.00b 0.12 ± 0.00b
 Copper 0.36 ± 0.06a 0.34 ± 0.08b 0.01 ± 0.00c 0.01 ± 0.00c
Amount of anti-nutrients consumed per meal
 Phytic acid, mg 50.18 ± 8.41b 47.59 ± 11.71b 62.19 ± 0.06a 62.18 ± 0.07a
 Polyphenols, mg4 45.85 ± 7.67b 68.36 ± 15.95a - -
 Chitin, g 0.62 ± 0.10 nd - -
Amount of macronutrients (g) consumed from cricket flour
 Protein 7.12 ± 1.19a 5.57 ± 1.30b - -
 Soluble protein 0.32 ± 0.05b 1.36 ± 0.32a - -
 Fat 3.02 ± 0.51b 3.70 ± 0.86a - -
Amount of calories (kcal) per meal consumed 97.6 ± 12.2 94.9 ± 16.3 25.0 ± 0.0 25.0 ± 0.0
Amount of porridge (g) per meal consumed 113.12 ± 18.96 107.28 ± 26.39 120.18 ± 0.13 120.16 ± 0.13

aValues are presented as means (mg/ meal) ± SDs for calcium, iron, zinc, copper, phytic acid and polyphenols, or as means (g/ meal) ± SDs for chitin, protein, soluble protein and fat calculated based on the average consumed amounts. The basis for all meals was refined maize flour. Comparison of test-meal composition values was assessed by two-sided pairwise t-tests or One-way Anova. Means in a row without a common letter differed, with P < 0.05 considered to be significant. 1Whole cricket (WC) and low-chitin cricket (EC) flour containing meals were intrinsically labeled (67Zn), hence intrinsically labeled zinc forms part of total zinc in insect flour. 2Meals without crickets (LZ and HZ) were extrinsically labeled (68Zn). 3Phytic acid: zinc molar ratio (mol/mol). 4Expressed in GAEs, gallic acid equivalents. nd not detectable.