The house crickets, Acheta domesticus, are sustainable and nutritious future sources of food, due to their nutritional benefits, particular high protein content and potential in solving global malnutrition. Different diets, particularly protein content, can influence the growth and nutritional value of crickets. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the effects of commercial diets and other formulated diets on the nutritional composition and growth parameters of the house crickets, being a major challenge to cricket’s farmers in Thailand. Feed conversion ratio were 1.50, 1.50, and 1.51 for fed crickets on a blend of 22% protein and dry pulp pumpkin powder, fed 22% protein plus fresh pumpkin pulp, and fed 22% protein alone, indicated that these groups are high feed convertors and represented the quality of these diets compared to 1.73 and 1.81 for fed crickets on a blend of 22% and 16% protein, and those fed on 16% protein alone. Fed crickets on 22% protein had the highest amount of protein (76%), the lowest (48%) in those fed on 22% protein and fresh pumpkin pulp inclusion. The group on 22% protein diet also had the highest amount of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium. Fed 22% protein and either dry pulp pumpkin powder or fresh pumpkin pulp condition have shown improvement in vitamin B content. Crickets can effectively be produced on 22% protein diet to improve yield output and several minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium. In contrast, the supplementation of 22% protein diet with pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) will improve vitamin B content.

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To overcome the problems of high oil absorption in instant noodles, the effects were evaluated of drying processes using microwaves, infrared, and hot-air on the quality of protein-enriched instant noodle (PEIN) compared to deep frying. The drying time from using frying, microwaves, infrared, and hot-air were 1, 4, 20, 50, and 80 min, respectively. Although microwave-dried PEIN had the highest gelatinization enthalpy (0.55 J/g), it could rehydrate in 3 min in 90 8C hot water to the same degree as fried PEIN due to its greater internal porosity from the high drying rates. The microwave-dried PEIN reduced microorganism levels below the allowable limits and received an acceptable sensory score. Accordingly, microwave drying has advantages in terms of quick dehydration and rehydration over infrared and hot-air drying. Moreover, it had a greater fat content reduction compared to deep frying and promotes the provision of a healthy and convenient product for consumers. Practical applicationsThe rising concern regarding the high residual oil content in deep-fried products has rapidly increased the demand for low fat, nonfried instant noodles. However, the long operation time and poor rehydration characteristics of these in-demand products made using hot-air drying are disadvantages. Thus, infrared drying and microwave drying were employed to dehydrate proteinenriched instant noodles (PEIN), which were supplemented with chicken meat, egg yolk, and seaweed, and the PEIN quality was compared with that from the deep frying and hot-air drying processes. The results demonstrated quick dehydration and rehydration, 80% fat content reduction, microbial safety, and sensory acceptability of microwave-dried PEIN. Our research work presented the benefits of microwave drying in instant noodle manufacture, not only regarding a shorter drying time, but also with diminished oil and raw material costs, and the provision of a healthy, convenient product for consumers.

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