Comparing the aromatic profile of seven unheated edible insect species

Cristina Perez-Santaescolastica; Ann De Winne; Jolien Devaere; Ilse Fraeye

doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112389

Comparing the aromatic profile of seven unheated edible insect species

Food Res Int. 2023 Feb:164:112389. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112389. Epub 2022 Dec 28.

Authors

Cristina Perez-Santaescolastica¹, Ann De Winne², Jolien Devaere², Ilse Fraeye³

Affiliations

¹ Research Group of Meat Technology & Science of Protein-rich Foods (MTSP), KU Leuven Ghent Technology Campus, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), Gebroeders De Smetstraat, 1, Ghent 9000, Belgium. Electronic address: perezsantaescolastica@kuleuven.be.
² Centre for Aroma and Flavour Technology, KU Leuven Ghent Technology Campus, Gebroeders De Smetstraat, 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
³ Research Group of Meat Technology & Science of Protein-rich Foods (MTSP), KU Leuven Ghent Technology Campus, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), Gebroeders De Smetstraat, 1, Ghent 9000, Belgium.

PMID: 36737974
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112389

Abstract

Insects and insect-based products have gained increasing interest as human food because of their many technological, nutritional and environmental advantages, but they are still rejected by many Western consumers. Analytical knowledge of flavour compounds could contribute to enhancing product attractiveness to consumers. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the volatile compound profiles of 7 unheated insects: Zophobas morio (ZM), Tenebrio molitor (TM), Locusta migratoria (LM), Galleria mellonella (GM), Blaptica dubia (BD), Alphitobius diaperinus (ALD) and Acheta domesticus (ACD). A total of 67 compounds were identified. Carboxylic acids were predominant in ALD, BD, GM, TM and ZM, while ketones were the major family in ACD and linear hydrocarbons in LM. ZM contained the highest number of unpleasant odour compounds, including indole, also present in BD and GM, which is characterised by a low detection threshold.

Keywords: Acetic acid; Gas chromatography; Indole; Insect flavour; Trimethylamine; Volatile compounds.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Coleoptera*
Edible Insects*
Food
Humans
Insecta
Locusta migratoria*
Tenebrio*