Locust( SchistocercaGregaria) as an Alternative Source of Protein Compared with Other Conventional Protein Sources

Abstract

The present study was carried out to estimate the nutritional composition of the desert locust (Schistocercagregaria),and it's potentials as a protein source compared with other conventional sources of protein .The samples brought from south kordofan , al gadarf and northern state, all samples were sun dried firstly before the tests carried out. The proximate analyses results of the locust revealed that the protein content was 50.55±0.24%,the fatcontentwas 27.95±1.068%,the fiber content was 10.2±0.191%,theashcontent was 4.74±0.27%,the moisture content was 6.44±0.75%and the available carbohydrate content was0.017±0.00424%. Locust also contain considerable amount of essential minerals the sodiumcontent was 2813.6±32.0 (mg/kg),the content of potassiumwas 2480.4±23.3(mg/kg), the calcium content was 257.1±38.5 (mg/kg),the magnesium content was 346±17.3 (mg/kg), the iron content was 29.25 ± 5.9 (mg/kg)it was found to be the less amount . The protein content of locust showed no significance difference compared to beef,but in case of some other protein sources (egg, chicken, wheat flour, bean) the locust has higher value ,the results evidently, indicated that locust has high nutritional value and can be considered as an alternative protein source.