Quantification of vitamin B12 in Two Cricket Species

Student Author Information

Haley Smeltz, University of LynchburgFollow

Location

Virtual Recording

Access Type

Open Access

Entry Number

63

Start Date

4-8-2020 12:00 PM

End Date

4-8-2020 1:15 PM

Department

Chemistry

Abstract

Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, has been practiced in the eastern world for centuries, however it is currently overlooked in the western nations. Studies have shown that insects, such as crickets, contain high levels of protein and minerals, however vitamin content is rarely studied. This study aims to quantify the vitamin B₁₂ content in two cricket species, the common house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and the banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). The vitamin B₁₂ content of both cricket species will be quantified using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Prior to RP-HPLC analysis, all the variants, or vitamers, of vitamin B₁₂ in cricket samples will be converted into the cyanocobalamin variant, following by purification using B₁₂ immunoaffinity column. At the conclusion of this study, the vitamin B₁₂ content of both cricket species will be determined.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Samrat Thapa

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