Qualitative risk assessment of cricket powder to be used to treat undernutrition in infants and children in Cambodia

This qualitative risk assessment (QRA) aims to estimate the microbiological risk associated with the consumption of locally sourced cricket powder by infants and children aged 6-23 months to prevent or treat undernutrition in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It follows the Codex principles and guidelines for risk assessment and takes into account all the potential microbial and microbial related toxic hazards that are associated with the consumption of cricket powder. A comprehensive literature search was carried out for foodborne pathogens isolated from crickets and edible insects along with other dried foods that are similar to cricket powder such as flour, powdered infant formula, and dried herbs and spices. From this literature search, the following pathogens were identified and considered for this microbiological QRA: Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., Clostridium perfringens, Cronobacter sakazakii, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, the QRA suggests that cricket powder presents a potential risk to undernourished infants and children. If porridge fortified with cricket powder is boiled (rolling boil for 5 min) prior to consumption, the food safety risk to undernourished infants and children is low for S. aureus; low to moderate for B. cereus, C. perfringens Type A, C. sakazakii, enterohemorrhagic E. coli, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.; and a moderate to serious risk for C. perfringens Type C. However, if the fortified porridge is not boiled, the food safety risk is increased. This risk can be mitigated if crickets are reared in a controlled, strict containment system that limits microbial hazards, and processed in a hygienic manner, making every effort to ensure that contamination and/or cross-contamination is mitigated by following hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) procedures and using a heat treatment to further reduce the hazard.