Chemical and Functional Properties of Sorghum-Acha Cereal Blends Enriched with Cricket Whole Meal, Defatted Protein Meal, And Protein Hydrolysate

INTRODUCTION Bioactive compounds are non-nutritive food components that exert significant physiological effects in humans. These compounds, which include flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids, tannins, plant sterols, and glycosylates, are present in small quantities in food but offer potent health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties [1,2]. With increasing scientific interest, bioactive compounds are being explored for functional food development due to their potential to prevent or manage chronic diseases [3].