Create IPN snacks with grasshoppers

• April 26, 2024

With the purpose of contributing to improve the nutrition of the Mexican population, students of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) elaborate sausages and nutritious snacks based on grasshoppers , because this type of insects are a valuable source of proteins , vitamins B1 Y B12 , as well as essential amino acids (lysine ) for the feeding of the human being.

These foods were developed by the students of the National School of Biological Sciences (ENCB), Ivette Venegas, Alma Ramírez, Mario Gómez, Felipe Núñez and Víctor López, who affirm that one of the main deficiencies in the diet of Mexicans are the proteins .

Gómez Mejía indicated that proteins are the main component of the Cell structure , therefore they are the essential nutrients for the growth and constitution of the muscular structure :

"The proteins from the chapulín are of very high quality and have a favorable impact on the cell formation , the constitution and repair of tissues Y muscles , as well as in the improvement of the consistency of the blood of the human being, "he said.

Chapulín, rich in proteins

The student of the Biochemical Engineering career indicated that the Mexican population consumes beef, chicken, pork, fish and even rabbit as a source of proteins .

Gómez pointed out that the chapulín It has approximately the same protein content as red meat, that is, eating 100 grams of churritos made with grasshopper flour is equivalent to eating a steak of the same weight:

"The quality of the grasshopper protein It is very similar to the pattern established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), "he said.

To achieve an attractive appearance for the eyes and that even children want to consume these foods, the IPN decided to make churritos and sausages from the flour of the insects and thus encourage their consumption; the grasshopper has a great tradition and a high content of nutrients.

Gomez Mejia said that the preparation of the churritos is focused on children, both in the city and the countryside, because in both cases this snack would allow the consumption of red meat, ham, chicken or fish, sometimes inaccessible for families of scarce resources:

"This product would contribute to complement the foods sold in primary schools and could even replace junk products."

Grasshopper sausages

Regarding sausages , Gómez said that they are designed to be consumed at the moment without the need to process them, although they can also be cooked to taste and combined with any food of the consumer's preference.

The products were elaborated based on the standards of quality and hygiene that establish the corresponding norms and, according to the sensorial tests, they had a high acceptance because their flavor is pleasant to the palate:

"The grasshoppers contain a large amount of a polysaccharide called chitin, which functions as a natural barrier to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms ”.

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