Small bodies, big potential: Comprehensive nutritional and bioactivity evaluation of five edible insects from Indonesia

Edible insects are increasingly valued as sustainable functional food sources due to their rich nutritional content, including proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. This study investigated five insect species/forms traditionally consumed in Indonesia—Phyllophaga helleri (Puthul), Valanga nigricornis (Belalang kayu), Gryllus bimaculatus (Jangkrik), and both the adult (Ulat jati) and cocoon (Entung jati) forms of Hyblaea puera. Methanol and aqueous extracts were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were assessed alongside volatile, amino acid, and elemental profiles using GC-MS, LC-MS, and ICP-MS. Volatile analyses revealed limonene (53.9–72.2%) as the dominant aroma compound in Entung jati, Ulat jati, Belalang kayu, and Puthul. Fatty acid profiles were rich in oleic acid (40.8–71.3%), especially in Entung jati and Ulat jati. Alanine and tyrosine were the most abundant amino acids, reaching up to 1945.36 and 4744.03 nmol/mL, respectively. Essential elements (K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) were abundant, while toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb) were below international safety limits. Entung jati methanol extract showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition (85.09%), exceeding acarbose (77.61%). Jangkrik exhibited the highest α-amylase inhibition (29.45%), and Ulat jati aqueous extract had the strongest antioxidant activity. Some methanol extracts also showed moderate antimicrobial effects (MIC = 625–1250 μg/mL). P. helleri extract showed cytotoxicity at high doses, but genotoxicity was not observed. These findings support the nutritional and therapeutic potential of Indonesian edible insects. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd