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. 2024 Jan 5;13(2):179.
doi: 10.3390/foods13020179.

Development of Healthy Snacks Incorporating Meal from Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Using 3D Printing Technology

Francisco Madail Herdeiro  1 , Maria Otília Carvalho  1 , Maria Cristiana Nunes  1 , Anabela Raymundo  1
Affiliations

Development of Healthy Snacks Incorporating Meal from Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Using 3D Printing Technology

Francisco Madail Herdeiro et al. Foods. .

Abstract

This study analyzes the nutritional properties of edible insects, specifically Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus, and explores the potential of 3D printing technology to introduce a nutritious and tasty alternative to essential nutrients for Western consumers. An original formulation for the printing of snacks with microalgae was adapted to incorporate edible insects. Concentrations of 10% of edible insects, both isolated and mixed, were incorporated into the developed ink-doughs. Stress and frequency sweeps were performed on the doughs to understand the rheology and the impact on the internal structure to better adapt these materials to the 3D printing process. The nutritional profile of the developed snacks was assessed, revealing a significant amount of protein, enough to claim the snacks as a "source of protein", as well as an increased mineral profile, when compared to the control snack. The antioxidant profile and total phenolic content were equally assessed. Finally, a sensory analysis test was performed, comparing the control snack to three other samples containing 10% T. molitor, 10% A. diaperinus and 5% + 5% of T. molitor and A. diaperinus, respectively, resulting in a preference for the A. diaperinus and for the combination of the two insects. Considered as a "novel food", foods incorporating edible insects represent, in fact, the reintroduction of foods used in the West before the Middle Ages, when the Judeo-Christian tradition began to consider insects as not kosher. Educating consumers about the transition to novel foods can be helped by 3D printing food, as an innovative process that can be used to design creative rich animal protein snacks that make final products more appealing and acceptable to consumers.

Keywords: 3D food printing; Alphitobius diaperinus; Tenebrio molitor; edible insects; sustainability.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. All the authors agree with the contents of the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
3D food printer (Foodini, Natural Machines, Barcelona, Spain).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Failed snack printings of the Tenebrio molitor 8% (A) and Tenebrio molitor 12% (B) samples.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Successful snack printings of the Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus 10% (AT10%, 10% of A. diaperinus + T. molitor) sample.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Frequency sweep of the control snack, snack with 10% of Alphitobius diaperinus (A10%), snack with 10% of Tenebrio molitor (T10%) and snack with 10% of A. diaperinus + T. molitor (AT10%) samples. G′ (storage modulus)—close symbol; G″ (loss modulus)—open symbol.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Average value of G′ (storage modulus extracted from the frequency sweep, Pa) at 1 Hz (solid color) and 10 Hz (pattern) of the control snack, snack with 10% of Alphitobius diaperinus (A10%), snack with 10% of Tenebrio molitor (T10%), and snack with 10% of A. diaperinus + T. molitor (AT10%) samples. Different letters represent statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.05).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Variation in carbohydrates * and protein (g/100 g, mean values and their respective standard deviations) of the control snack, snack with 10% of Alphitobius diaperinus (A10%), snack with 10% of Tenebrio molitor (T10%) and snack with 10% of A. diaperinus + T. molitor (AT10%) samples. * Calculated by difference.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Hardness (N, mean values and their respective standard deviations) of the control snack, snack with 10% of Alphitobius diaperinus (A10%), snack with 10% of Tenebrio molitor (T10%) and snack with 10% of A. diaperinus + T. molitor (AT10%) samples. Different letters represent statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.05).
Figure 8
Figure 8
(A) General opinion of the panel (N = 34) about the inclusion of insects in food prior to the tasting of the snacks. (B) General opinion of the panel (N = 34) about the analyzed snacks after tasting the snacks, using a hedonic scale from 1 to 9.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(A) General opinion of the panel (N = 34) about the inclusion of insects in food prior to the tasting of the snacks. (B) General opinion of the panel (N = 34) about the analyzed snacks after tasting the snacks, using a hedonic scale from 1 to 9.
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