Pre-treated mealworm larvae and silkworm pupae as a novel protein ingredient in emulsion sausages

- Mealworm larvae and silkworm pupae were ground, defatted, and acid-hydrolyzed.
- Nutritional and technological properties of those insect proteins were determined.
- The insect flours were added to replace 10% lean pork in emulsion sausages.
- Adding insect flours increased cooking yield and hardness of emulsion sausages.
- Pre-treated edible insect flours can be used as a novel protein ingredient.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of adding pre-treated mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) and silkworm pupae (Bombyx mori) flours on nutritional, physicochemical and textural properties of emulsion sausages. Whole freeze-dried insects were sequentially ground, defatted, and acid-hydrolyzed. Control sausage was formulated with 60% lean pork, 20% ice and 20% back fat, and insect treatments were prepared with replacement of 10% lean pork by each pre-treated insect flour. Defatting and/or acid hydrolysis significantly increased the protein content of two insect flours, but acid hydrolysis slightly decreased protein solubility (P = 0.002). The addition of pre-treated insect flours had no impact on protein solubility of emulsion sausages, but increased cooking yield and hardness in a similar extent, regardless of pre-treating methods and insect types (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that through separation processing, mealworm larvae and silkworm pupae can be further optimized as a novel protein ingredient for emulsified meat products.Industrial RelevanceThis study evaluated the nutritional and technological properties of pre-treated edible insects as a novel non-meat ingredient for the meat emulsion application. The results of the present study suggest that edible insect proteins can be practically utilized as a non-meat food ingredient in processed meat products or potentially other food applications without compromising the nutritional and technological properties of the products.