Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Powder Promotes a High Bioaccessible Protein Fraction and Low Glycaemic Index in Biscuits

Abstract

Traditional biscuits are considered products with poor nutritional value because of their large share of rapidly digested starch, which results in an elevated glycaemic index. This paper explores the improvement of the nutritional value of biscuits by adding yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) powder. Four biscuit recipes containing 0%(R1), 10%(R2), 15%(R3), and 20%(R4) of yellow mealworm powder were prepared and subjected to sensorial analysis. The R3 biscuits were selected for further investigation, as they had the highest acceptability. Compared to the reference R1, the R3 biscuits showed an improved nutritional profile in terms of protein, fat, ash, minerals, fibres, essential amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids, and lower amounts of carbohydrates and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The in vitro protein digestibility in R3 improved 1.12-fold compared to R1. No significant difference was found between the digestibility of the lipids released from R1 and R3. A higher fraction of slowly digestible starch was present in R3 compared to R1. The starch digestibility and estimated glycaemic index were 72.96% and 79.56% in R3, which can be compared to 78.79% and 90.14%, respectively, in R1. Due to their enhanced nutritional profile, higher bioaccessible protein fraction, and lower glycaemic index, yellow mealworm powder biscuits can be considered a more nutritious alternative to traditional biscuits.

Innovative Applications of Tenebrio molitor Larvae in Food Product Development: A Comprehensive Review

“…The latest study on the nutritional quality of biscuits enriched with T. molitor flour was conducted by Cozmuta et al [91], where biscuits were prepared with 0, 10, 15, and 20% replacement of conventional flour with T. molitor flour. According to consumer preference, a significant result was recorded as the biscuit enriched with 15% T. molitor flour was selected as the most preferred biscuit, and it was the first time that consumers showed preference for such a high percentage of T. molitor flour in a food product.…”