Effects of Cricket Powder on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Pork Quality, Physicochemical, and Sensory Analyses of Finishing Swine

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Feeding pigs, a balanced diet is an important factor to promote growth performance and results in higher yield and quality pork. Alternative ingredients such as cricket powder (CP) can be used as a substitution to provide high-quality protein for swine. Therefore, this experiment was investigated the effects of cricket powder on growth performance, carcass traits, pork quality, physicochemical, and sensory analyses of finishing swine. Eight finishing hogs (Hampshire cross) were allotted to two treatments: 1) control (0% CP) and 2) control + 2% CP (CP replaced SBM), for 34 days. All treatments were analyzed for growth and carcass performance (ADG, ADFI, G: F, LEA, BF, HCW, and DP), sensory evaluation (9-point hedonic scale with 14 trained panelists), physicochemical (nutrition content, pH, moisture (%), ash content, color (L*, a*, b*), lipid oxidation (TBARS)), and microbiological analysis (aerobic heterotrophs (AH), E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae). Pork loin samples coated with 2% CP were used for all treatments, except the control treatment. Each treatment was prepared and stored at 3°C for 9 days. The results showed that the control diet pigs outgained pigs fed 2% CP 1.03 kg/d vs. 0.62 kg/d. There was no difference (p>0.05) in ADFI or G: F regardless of treatment. Pigs fed 2% CP tended to have greater DP (80.10% vs. 78.21%). The 2% CP treatment obtained the highest scores for all sensory attributes, acceptability (85.71%), and purchase intent (71.43%). Adding 2% CP improved the crude fiber (4.44%), iron (13.60 ppm), and zinc contents (21.50 ppm). Pigs fed 2% CP had increased (p<0.05) a* redness (10.51), pH value (5.91), and moisture content (73.03%). No E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae were detected in this experiment. In addition, samples with 2% CP increased redness values, decreased lipid oxidation, and decreased aerobic heterotrophs counts compared to the control treatment. Thus, our results suggest that adding cricket powder in swine production can be used to promote sustainability, enhance meat color, decrease undesirable microorganism growth, and prolong the shelf-life of pork loin.