What's Hopping? Cricket Protein and Human Gut Microbiota
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Edible insects are often considered a nutritious, protein-rich, environmentally sustainable
      alternative to traditional meat. They represent a new food for North American consumers.
      While the nutrient composition of several insects is characterized, all potential health
      impacts have not been evaluated. Crickets contain chitin and other fibers that may influence
      gut health. In this study, we evaluated the effects of consuming 25 grams/day whole cricket
      powder on gut microbiota composition, while assessing safety and tolerability. Twenty healthy
      adults participated in this six-week, double-blind, crossover dietary intervention.
      Participants were randomized into two treatment arms and consumed either cricket-containing
      or control breakfast foods for 14 days, followed by a 14-day washout period and assignment to
      the opposite arm. Blood and stool samples were collected at baseline and after each treatment
      period to assess liver function and microbiota changes. Results demonstrate that cricket
      consumption is tolerable and non-toxic at the treatment dose. Cricket powder supported growth
      of the probiotic bacteria, Bifidobacterium animalis, which increased more than 5.7-fold.
      Cricket consumption was also associated with reduced plasma TNF-a. These data suggest that
      eating crickets may improve gut health and reduce systemic inflammation; however, more
      research is needed to understand these effects and underlying mechanisms.
    

Detailed description: 
      Although no research on the impact of edible insect protein powder on the human microbiome,
      there is plenty of evidence that edible insects offer a good source nutrition. Extensive
      research demonstrates that edible insects provide a source of high-quality bioavailable
      animal protein as many edible insects contain all essential amino acids for human nutrition
      and have high crude protein levels containing between 40 and 75% protein by dry weight. House
      crickets, for example, have more protein by dry weight than ground beef or broiled cod fish.
      Insects are also rich in healthy fatty acids, B vitamins (riboflavin, pantothenic acid,
      biotin, and folate, as well as important minerals such as iron and zinc. In addition to their
      nutrient content, and as arthropods, edible insects are also rich in dietary fiber, including
      chitin, which is found in the exoskeleton.

      Chitin is a modified polysaccharide containing nitrogen; it is considered an insoluble fiber
      with potential prebiotic properties that could benefit human health by selectively promoting
      the growth of beneficial bacterial species in the intestines. Previous studies on the impact
      of chitin-glucan derived from Aspergillus niger mycelium on oxidized low-density lipoprotein
      (OxLDL) in adults, a risk factor for atherosclerosis, found that chitin-glucan intakes of
      4.5g/day significantly reduced OxLDL in 6 weeks. Additionally, a study of
      chito-oligosaccharides found that chitosan derivatives from shrimp cells with a great content
      of acetylated residues did not cause a putatively prebiotic effect in human gut
      microbiota-although this study was conducted on human fecal microbiota in batch cultures (not
      in humans). To date, no comprehensive study has evaluated the impact of whole insect
      consumption on the microbiota in humans, which would include consumption of insect-derived
      dietary fibers and chitins with potential health benefits. An assessment of the tolerability
      of whole insect consumption is also needed, despite the fact that around 2 billion people
      consume insects on a regular basis in 130 countries or more.

      The "What's Hopping? Cricket Protein and Human Gut Microbiota" study will determine the
      impact of a commercially available insect flour, containing high levels of protein and
      dietary fiber on human gut bacterial composition and functional capacity. A secondary aim is
      to establish whether insect powder acts as a prebiotic. In this study, a 100% insect-based
      flour/powder derived from edible crickets (Acheta domesticus) will be assessed. The objective
      of this study is to determine if Insect powder consumption changes gut bacteria and reduces
      inflammation in your intestinal tract compared to a placebo. To this end, we intend to enroll
      20 healthy individuals to participate in a crossover diet intervention study. Participants
      will consume meals made with cricket powder and placebo meals daily for 2 weeks per treatment
      arm with a 2-week washout period. Both study participants and study personnel (clinical
      coordinators, PI's, statisticians) will be blinded to the intervention group. Anthropometric
      measures, as well as stool and blood samples, will be collected at each of 3 clinic visits
      (baseline, and the end of each intervention period). Primary outcome measures will include
      gut microbiota and microbial metabolism (determined by measuring fecal short chain fatty
      acids), local and systemic inflammatory markers, comprehensive metabolic panels and GI health
      questionnaires to assess safety and tolerability of the intervention foods.
    

Intervention name(s): Cricket Protein Powder; Placebo control
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Other
Intervention description(s): Cricket powder was supplied by Entomo farms and consists of roasted and milled whole crickets.; Placebo controls consisted of intervention foods (muffin and smoothie powder packet) that were visually and organoleptically similar to cricket-containing foods but contained no cricket powder.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Intervention model description: Randomized, placebo controlled crossover dietary intervention
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: gut microbiota; cricket powder; prebiotic fiber; inflammation; dietary intervention