^{The effect of processing on the nutritional values of yellow mealworm and Jamaican field cricket}

Despite extensive research on the nutritional value of edible insects, there is insufficient data on how processing methods affect their chemical composition. In this study, our objective was to assess the effects of boiling, roasting, oven drying, and microwave heating on the nutritional value of insects euthanized via blanching or freezing. Results indicated that both the methods of killing and culinary treatment significantly influenced the nutritional value of yellow mealworms (<i>Tenebrio molitor</i>) and Jamaican field crickets (<i>Gryllus assimilis</i>). Blanched and boiled yellow mealworm larvae contained the lowest level of protein (54.76 g/100 g DM), and the highest content of fat (35.28 g/100 g DM), while blanched, oven-dried Jamaican field crickets yielded the highest levels of protein (72.95 g/100 g DM) and the lowest levels of fat (13.31 g/100 g DM). Culinary treatments uniformly resulted in increased proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a decrease in the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) compared to the raw samples. In contrast to fats, the amino acid composition and protein quality, assessed <i>via</i> the essential amino acid index, remained almost unchanged regardless of the type of culinary treatment. Similarly, the profile of volatile compounds was not significantly affected by the culinary treatment. Although acrylamide was undetectable in raw samples, safe levels (0.02-0.13 μg/g DM) were observed in treated samples. Given the rarity of raw insect consumption, gaining insights into the nutritional content of prepared insect-based dishes is of paramount importance. Thus, forthcoming research that is focused on potential risk compounds linked to thermal processing, as well as strategies aimed at mitigating their presence in insect-based foods, may hold significant relevance.