Nutritional Composition and Sensory Properties of Biscuits As Influenced By Zonocerus Variegatus Powder Substitution

Abstract Edible insects are increasingly recognized as alternative sources of nutrients and sustainable food ingredients with potential applications in food product development. This study evaluated the effects of incorporating Zonocerus variegatus (grasshopper) powder into wheat-based biscuits on their nutritional composition and sensory properties. Four biscuit formulations containing 0% (WGF1), 5% (WGF2), 10% (WGF3), and 15% (WGF4) grasshopper powder were produced and evaluated for proximate composition, amino acid profile, mineral composition, vitamin content, antinutritional factors, and sensory properties using standard analytical procedures. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the biscuit formulations for several nutritional parameters. Protein content increased progressively from 9.01% in WGF1 to 15.10% in WGF4, while crude fibre increased from 2.24% to 5.22%. Moisture content ranged from 6.30% to 9.60%. Iron and zinc contents increased from 6.60 to 19.90 mg/kg and 4.20 to 5.60 mg/kg, respectively, whereas sodium decreased from 56.63 to 36.35 mg/kg. The amino acid profile showed improvements in several essential amino acids, with lysine increasing from 5.80 to 8.23 g/100 g, leucine from 7.20 to 8.60 g/100 g, methionine from 1.60 to 2.13 g/100 g, and phenylalanine plus tyrosine from 6.60 to 10.60 g/100 g. Vitamin A content increased from 340.00 to 520.00 µg β-carotene equivalent/100 g, while vitamins B9, D, and E were detected across the formulations. Antinutritional factors were present at relatively low concentrations. Sensory evaluation showed that biscuits containing up to 15% grasshopper powder remained acceptable, with mean hedonic scores above 5.0 for colour, aroma, taste, texture, crispness, and overall acceptability. Overall, incorporation of Z. variegatus powder, particularly at 15% substitution, improved several nutritional attributes of wheat-based biscuits while maintaining acceptable sensory characteristics, indicating its potential as an alternative nutrient-rich ingredient for biscuit production.