PhD project

Use of edible cricket to improve nutrition and health in Kenya

Ms. Carolyne Kipkoech (Kenya)
MSc. Immunology
Moi University: School of medicine.

Carolyne Kipkoech has a passion in clinical nutrition.

Carolyne Kipkoech has a basic degree in Microbiology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (2005), and a Master of Science in immunology from Moi University school of Medicine. She did a nutritional project on: Evaluation of zinc plasma levels and their effect to immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Insects have a varied biochemical composition, of both macronutrients and micronutrients, which depends on their age, feed and habitat. Food and feed security can be enhanced through edible insects, since they can be found in wide environmental conditions, with high feed conversion rate, therefore less environmental stress and pressure. Currently there is less land available for livestock farming which until now is a major source of proteins and minerals. Insect turnout is high quality protein when compared to meat and fish. Insects are specifically good for undernourished children due to: high protein content, high fatty acid content-more than that found in fish,  plenty minerals such as iron, selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc together with its high fibre and chitin content which may be prebiotic in child gut health.

This research project will determine the farmed cricket nutritional and chitin composition on different ages, extract and evaluation prebiotic potential of chitin, develop products with optimum nutrients  and chitin content and assess their safety and acceptability and finally pilot the impact of the developed products on nutritional status, cognitive function and gut health of school going children.

Supervisors

Prof. Nanna Roos, Dr. John Kinyuru and Dr. Samwuel Imathiu.