For most people, locusts are regarded as wild animals and plant pests. But in some areas, these animals are still used as a food source rich in nutrients.
In the area of Gunung Kidul Yogyakarta for example, this insect is still maintained as a snack or side dishes. Grasshoppers are used by local people by frying. The residents of Gunung Kidul consume grasshopper as alternative food.
Alternative food such as grasshoppers have been shown to prevent the population from food insecurity and nutrition. Scientifically the nutritional content in fried locusts can not be taken lightly. Fried grasshopper was no less nutritious than other protein sources such as beef.
As expressed by nutrition experts from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) Professor Ahmad Sulaiman, grasshoppers are animals that have various types of essential nutrients such as protein, vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals.
"If the fresh grasshopper, the protein content of about 20 percent, but in the dry about 40 percent.Not a skin that also contains chitosan like shrimp, but depending on the type of locusts, in certain seasons there are types of stripes that contain higher vitamins Grasshopper can also meet 25 to 30 percent of vitamin A needs, "said Ahmad on the sidelines of Nutritalk Sari Husada Nutrition Activity in Gunung Kidul,Nutrition locusts
People, Ahmad continued, can actually use grasshoppers to help meet the adequacy of protein, a substance that is needed for development and growth. In addition to high protein content, in locusts contained various types of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. While the vitamin content ranges from vitamins A, B, B1, B2, B6, E and C, folic acid to various types of fatty acids.
"Protein is very important for growth, if the body lacks protein, absorption and other nutrients in the body is not optimal, for example someone who is less vitamin A is recommended to eat lots of vegetables, but eating vegetables will not be optimal if the body is less protein because absorption it needs fat and protein binding retinol, "said Ahmad who juag Professor of Food and Nutrition Science IPB it.
Utilization of grasshoppers, said Ahmad has not been excavated maximally in Indonesia. He suggested, grasshoppers can be processed into food or other food forms that are more interesting and more acceptable to the community. "Maybe it can be processed into flour or food like nuggets, meatballs or
burgers. If it is processed it will be different and can be more acceptable