How method of killing crickets impact the sensory qualities and physiochemical properties when prepared in a broth

Abstract

Due to the increasing demands on the global food supply, entomophagy is being strongly considered as a viable alternative to protein derived from traditional animal sources. This study evaluated the sensory and physiological properties of a broth made from crickets that were frozen prior to cooking and compared it to a broth made from crickets that were alive when cooked. To evaluate and compare how method of killing crickets impacts their sensory qualities and physiological properties, two experiments were conducted.The first experiment consisted of three broths that were made, with different ratios, by weight; of frozen crickets to water (1:10, 2:10, 3:10) each sample contained ninety grams of mirepoix and four grams of salt. This experiment was conducted to establish a control recipe for final sensory analysis. From this experiment it was determined through a ranked preference test; that the ratio of 2:10 was adequate for the sensory analysis. For the final experiment, two broths were made in a similar fashion as described above. The first, being the control broth, made from crickets that were frozen prior to cooking and a variable broth made from crickets that were still alive prior to cooking.A sensory evaluation was conducted comparing overall liking, and the perception of saltiness, bitterness, sweetness, sourness, and umami. Significant differences were observed in the pH level, overall liking, as well as the perception of saltiness and umami. These results could be directly related to the break down of glycogen as well as from the formation of lactic acid. In part, these results are completely opposite from what consumers prefer in products from larger animals. These finding can be of importance when considering future processing methods of insect based proteins and consumer dietary needs such as low sodium foods.