Nutritional Upgrading and Climate Change Mitigation in Fresh Pasta via Co-Fortification with Cricket Powder and Riceberry Flour

Abstract

In this study, fresh pasta made from refined wheat was reformulated by replacing 0, 5, 10, and 15% (w/w) of the flour with house-cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder. In comparison, riceberry rice flour was kept constant at 5%. Increasing cricket content decreased aw from 0.948 ± 0.003 to 0.931 ± 0.002 and lowered moisture from 32.83 ± 0.10% to 31.95 ± 0.09%. However, protein content increased from 11.30 ± 0.46% to 15.93 ± 0.25%, and dietary fiber grew from 2.26 ± 0.06% to 2.73 ± 0.04%. The product color changed from pale yellow (L* 80.03) to muted purple-brown (L* 68.73), yet cooking loss stayed below 4% in all samples, indicating no technological drawbacks. All formulations met international thresholds for fresh pasta concerning dry matter (≥ 68%), protein (≥ 8% d.b.), and safety (aw < 0.95); blends with ≥ 5% cricket qualified for the EU/ASEAN “source of protein” claim. A cradle-to-factory-gate screening-LCA revealed that replacing 15% of wheat flour with cricket powder plus 5% riceberry flour reduced the dough’s carbon footprint from 1.30 to 1.21 kg CO₂-eq per kg—a 6.9% reduction in GHG emissions—while a 10% cricket substitution resulted in a 5.4% decrease. On a per-ton basis, the 15% formulation would avoid approximately 90 kg CO₂-eq per ton compared to traditional wheat pasta, excluding additional credits from insect frass valorization. Sensitivity analysis (±25% emission factor variation) confirmed a robust savings range of 3–10%. Overall, the results demonstrate that co-fortifying fresh pasta with up to 15% cricket powder and 5% riceberry flour produces a product that is microbiologically safer, higher in protein, and richer in fiber, while reducing cradle-to-grave GHG emissions by about 7%. Thus, this approach offers a scalable pathway to incorporate edible insects and pigmented rice coproducts into premium chilled pasta lines, supporting circular bioeconomy initiatives and climate change mitigation efforts.