Abstract
Insects represent a sustainable but under-exploited food
resource partly due to the chitin-containing exoskeleton
and also the high lipid content that hamper the
production of food ingredients. Here we present dry
fractionation technology for upgrading house crickets
(Acheta domesticus) and yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio
molitor) by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide
followed by separation to fine and coarse fractions by
air classification. The defatted insects contained 73-79%
crude protein that was partially fractionated by air
classification to protein-enriched fractions containing
less chitin. In addition to the significant difference in
the coarse mouthfeel between the fine and coarse
fractions, the fine fraction of crickets was perceived
saltier and more intense in flavour, and the fine
fraction of mealworms having more meat-like flavour than
the coarse fraction. Thus, it seems that the
fractionation process has a clear impact on the texture
(coarseness), but the flavour characteristics could be
varied according to the insect variety. Overall, the dry
fractionation technology holds promising prospects for
the production of insect-based food ingredients that are
modified in their chitin content and flavour intensity,
does not contain identifiable anatomical parts, and thus,
could better meet consumer acceptance.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 19-29 |
Journal | European Food Research and Technology |
Volume | 244 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Keywords
- crickets
- mealworms
- air classification
- protein
- chitin
- sensory quality