| Abstract |
Ferrugineus sago powder is made from the larvae of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, the sago palm weevil. The plump, yellowy-cream body with soft-ridged texture of the larva had been the mainstay of the diet of ethnic communities such as Melanau and Dayak in Malaysia as their source of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Today it has become a delicacy. The process that has been developed, converting the larvae to powder form using steaming, homogenizing and air-sprayed drying method is able to reduce the original fat content of 50% to below 30%, increasing carbohydrate content from 15% to 30% while maintaining protein content of 24%. It is also rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and iron, as well as various vitamins. Ferrugineus sago powder can be used to make into various forms of energy food for competitive athletes in strength training as it contains the main components in the diet. |