Nutritional, structural, physicochemical and techno-functional properties of wheat-cricket (Acheta domesticus) composite flours

Abstract The incorporation of edible insect powders offers a sustainable approach to enhance the nutritional and functional quality of cereal-based foods. This study investigated the effect of partially substituting wheat flour with 0–15% cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder on its nutritional, physicochemical, structural, and techno-functional properties. Composite flours were analysed for proximate composition, pasting behaviour, structural changes (FT-IR), thermal stability (TGA), and multivariate patterns (PCA). Cricket powder inclusion significantly (p < 0.05) increased crude protein (12.74 to 22.64%), crude fat (1.87 to 6.16%), total ash (0.58 to 0.99%), and energy content (377.12 to 396.07 kcal/100 g). Conversely, starch-dependent parameters declined: peak viscosity decreased from 3061 to 1842 cP, breakdown viscosity from 1132 to 672 cP, and setback viscosity from 1394 to 826 cP, indicating disrupted starch gelatinisation and reduced retrogradation. Colour lightness (L*) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (89.22 to 81.13), while redness (a*) increased (1.72 to 4.89), confirming darker flour blends. FT-IR spectra exhibited intensified amide I and II bands and broadened O–H regions, reflecting enhanced protein-starch interactions. TGA revealed a delayed thermal degradation onset and greater residual mass, confirming improved thermal stability. PCA explained 91.3% of the total variance, distinctly separating samples by cricket flour inclusion level. These findings demonstrate that cricket powder substantially enhances the nutritional profile and thermal stability of wheat flour while modifying starch-dependent functionality, supporting its potential as a functional protein fortifier in the development of nutrient-enriched, sustainable cereal-based foods.