Fortified pasta with cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder: Impact of an alternative protein source on pasta nutritional, functional, and technological properties.

Global population growth is challenging the sustainability of current food systems and driving the search for alternative protein sources with lower environmental impact. The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) has emerged as a promising, sustainable provider of high-quality protein. This study assessed, for the first time, starch hydrolysis kinetics and antioxidant capacity of penne rigate pasta formulated with 10% cricket powder versus 100% durum wheat pasta after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion model (INFOGEST 2.0). Glucose release was monitored throughout digestion, whereas antioxidant capacity was evaluated in raw and cooked pasta, as well as in bioaccessible and non-bioaccessible fractions, using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. Nutritional composition and technological properties were also analyzed. Cricket-enriched pasta followed first-order starch hydrolysis kinetics, in contrast to the linear kinetics observed in 100% durum wheat pasta. It showed significantly lower starch hydrolysis (61.5% vs. 85.3%) and higher resistant starch content (38.5% vs. 14.7%). Antioxidant capacity generally increased due to cricket-enrichment and gastrointestinal digestion. The enriched pasta also exhibited increased protein (26.5%), lipid (98.4%, showing higher polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids proportion), dietary fiber (89.0%), and mineral contents (15.9%) but decreased carbohydrate (13.5%) and starch levels (11.1%). No significant differences were found in water absorption or cooking loss. Color was notably darker, being significantly different from 100% durum wheat pasta (Delta ELab of 19.34). Overall, in vitro digestion results suggest that cricket-enriched pasta may contribute to improved glycemic response modulation and antioxidant intake in sustainable dietary strategies, without altering the technological properties of the pasta.