Estimation of protein in Oecophylla smaragdina adults and larvae

Edible insects are an exceptional source of nutrition for humans. In the forested regions of Jharkhand, notably in Ranchi, Gumla, and Simdega, red weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) thrives in its natural habitat. The consumption of both ants and their larvae is widespread. This ant species is utilized for various purposes and primarily due to their high nutritional value. In the current study, protein estimation was carried out using Lowry's method, of Oecophylla smaragdina samples from Pokla village in Jharkhand. It was found that for each 1 g powdered samples of adults and larvae, the protein content was 1.578 mg/ml and 2.039 mg/ml respectively.